CONIGLIO LIKELY TO MISS OUT

Good news for Whitfield, but another Giant in grave doubt

WHILE Lachie Whitfield continues to firm for GWS selection this week, the risk of selecting Stephen Coniglio may be unprecedented in AFL grand final history.

It will be 83 days or just on 12 weeks this Saturday since Coniglio last kicked a football in an AFL match — July 7 v Brisbane — before tearing a cartilage after hyper-extending his left knee in the opening minutes against Richmond at the MCG on July 14.

He was operated on by Professor Julian Feller on July 16, with a timeline of eight to 10 weeks placed on his return.

Coniglio has completed that timeline and has been passed fit structurally to attempt a miraculous return, but specialist sports physician Dr Peter Larkins believes the risk may outweigh the rewards.

“He put a hole in his femur and they had to clean up the cartilage which takes a few months to settle down,” Larkins said.

“Now he has been cleared to have a go. It’s more about conditioning and do you play him on the back of no match conditioning and that’s why I don’t expect him to play.

“Who was the person in history who has played in a grand final after missing 12 weeks?

“They may have attempted it 20 years ago, even 15, but not in recent history.

“The unknown of bringing someone in, no matter how good they are, is normally deemed too great.”

As for Whitfield, who completed a jog yesterday and will undertake a light skills session today, Larkins is confident he will play.

“He is more likely to play than not play, even if he won’t have been pushed to date because they won’t want to risk a setback,” Larkins said.

“It will be up to you media persons to find out exactly where his fitness test will be held this Friday.”

Which leaves banged-up captain Phil Davis, who received three separate injuries last Saturday before playing out the preliminary final in a reduced capacity up forward.

“Davis was amazing with what he went through, dislocating his knee, then dislocating his shoulder before he pinched a nerve in his back that sent pain everywhere, to his calf, to his hamstring, to his knee. He did a fantastic captain’s job,” Larkins said.

“He will play, so of the three [Giants] Coniglio is clearly the biggest risk.”