Geelong star defender Tom Stewart is the latest Grand Final heartbreak story, with his concussion following a dangerous tackle by Hawthorn forward Mabior Chol ruling him out of the final weekend of September.

He may be joined by Lions midfielder Jarrod Berry, with the 27-year-old's availability for the decider in doubt following a second left shoulder dislocation within a month.

These two aren't the only players to face the devastation of a missed premiership opportunity in recent years, however.

Since 2013, there have been six notable instances of key players being ruled out of a Grand Final due to an injury suffered in the penultimate week of the Finals Series.

Here's every premiership heartbreak story in the last 13 AFL seasons.

4Dan McStay (and Taylor Adams) (2023)

Collingwood forward Dan McStay on track for miraculous return
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Nick Daicos of the Magpies (left) and Daniel McStay of the Magpies celebrate during the 2023 AFL First Preliminary Final match between the Collingwood Magpies and the GWS GIANTS at Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 22, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Collingwood's exhilirating 2023 post-season campaign, where the Pies won all three finals by a combined 12 points, was not without some sadness as key forward recruit Dan McStay cruelly suffered an MCL injury in their one-point preliminary final win against GWS.

McStay had missed much of the 2023 campaign but was elite following his recall into the senior side in Round 18, kicking two goals in all but one of Collingwood's nine games before the Grand Final. It made his injury even more devastating as it's likely he would have played a key role in Collingwood's eventual premiership glory.

A silver lining of the injury, however, was it meant that fellow recruit Billy Frampton would win a premiership medal despite being dropped in the final round of the season.

Taylor Adams, while not a member of the preliminary final injury group, was also a lock to play in the Grand Final for Collingwood, had he not sustained a hamstring injury in training the week after their scintillating qualifying final against Melbourne.

Adams had featured in 23 games for the Magpies that season, and his 6.3 score involvements per game ranked third at the club, behind stars Nick Daicos and Jordan De Goey.

He would request a trade from the Magpies following the premiership due to lack of clarity around his role, however, and played in 19 home-and-away games for the Swans in their 2024 season.

Unfortunately, he once again missed out on Grand Final action after he was dropped ahead of the club's qualifying final and was not named in the 23 that were thumped by Brisbane.

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