Geelong star Max Holmes has revealed how line-ball the decision-making to play him was following Geelong's 33-point elimination final win over Carlton.
Holmes finished with 16 disposals from a game-low 60 per cent game time in his first game since Round 19, when he suffered a broken ankle and syndesmosis injury.
"When I got the surgery, they were saying 'maybe granny' and then our physio said 'screw that, we'll play the first final' so we basically just got to work," Holmes revealed on Channel 7 post-game.
"It was pretty cut-throat and I said to (coach Chris Scott), 'I'm not saying yes, you've got to bring me in' so I'm just stoked to get out here."
Holmes kicked an important goal just before halftime and was part of the chain which set up arguably the match-sealing goal early in the fourth quarter.
Cats fans had their hearts in their mouths late in the third quarter when he was hobbled at the three-quarter-time siren, but he was able to play the game out, improving in the second half, when he had 10 of his 16 disposals.
"“I'm told that was a ridiculously quick recovery from that injury, so you can't help but have some trepidation about making the decision to play him," Scott said.
"And I don't mind saying that it wasn't the deciding factor, but the medical team was so confident that him playing tonight would have him in better shape for next week, which is really saying something.
The winger lacked his usual line-breaking ability, finishing with just 263 metres gained and often looking to give the first option rather than backing himself and driving his legs.
Whether a result of the perceived pressure of finals or hesitancy in his first match back from injury, he did not play with his usual venom but a few moments of class justified his place, particularly in the third quarter when he had six disposals from elevated game time as Geelong pulled away.
"I don't rank them but if you held a gun to my head and said 'who's been your best player over the last three years?' I think I'd say (Holmes)," Scott said.
"It was really challenging when we lost him but it was also really challenging to make the decision to play him tonight."
Scott did not comment specifically on Jeremy Cameron or Tanner Bruhn who both looked below their physical best, while saying Shaun Mannagh was merely fatigued and thus did not play out the game.
He did, however, caution against reading too much into players getting treatment during the game.
"The thought did occur to me, not just with these sort of decisions, but coaching in general: there are these kind of old school, sort of tried and true philosophies like you don't take unfit players into finals," Scott said.
"And the more I thought about it, the more I think if it was all that easy, anyone would be doing it because you just go back to these old school nonsensical theories.
"Every situation is unique, and when they get really complicated, it requires long, slow, deliberate decision-making.”
