Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said it was as simple as recalling Noah Answerth into the side for Saturday's Grand Final against Fremantle if Lachie Neale's one-match ban was upheld on Thursday.
Neale was handed a one-week suspension for his strike on Hawthorn's Jack Ginnivan in last week's preliminary final win. And after Tuesday's Tribunal hearing didn't go the Lions' way, Fagan had to begin planning for Saturday without the two-time Brownlow Medallist.
Answerth recovered from an ankle injury, and did everything to make himself available. He has been listed as the side's emergency.
“It was simple as this - if Lachie hadn't played, Noah would have,” Fagan said on SEN.
“We would have moved ‘Fletch' (Fletcher) up to the wing, put Noah into the back-end of the ground and played Hugh McCluggage inside more than we have the last few weeks.
“That's what we were planning to do.”
Answerth missed last year's grand final triumph after rupturing his Achilles late in the year, and despite playing 16 games, Fagan is devastated he'll miss the opportunity again.
“As happy as I am for Lachie, I'm desperately sad for Noah Answerth,” he added.
“I know coaches shouldn't have favourites. He's one of mine.
“He's such a great team player who has earned his position in the team. So has everybody else with the way we want to structure up.
“I know we could take this bloke out and put this bloke in, but we've played well over the last two weeks, and we've got a squad that's not injured, so why change it.”
