ANY doubts about Jack Geary not being in Golden Square’s team for Saturday’s Bendigo Football League grand final were quickly erased at last night’s training session on the QEO.
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A finger injury kept Geary on the sidelines for the Bulldogs’ victories in the qualifying final and then against grand final opponent Gisborne in the second semi-final.
The midfielder, who is yet to taste defeat in a senior match with the blue and gold, moved freely and marked strongly at training.
There were plenty of positives for the Square as captain Simon Rosa and Luke Hammond showed they are set to play after injury kept them out of the second semi-final win.
Golden Square playing coach Mark Lloyd said Geary had trained well the past two weeks.
“Jack has done plenty of running, but tonight’s the first time he will join in all the drills,” Lloyd said before the workout on a ground where Square has won the past three battles for the Bendigo Advertiser premiership cup.
“We have three of our best midfielders to come back into the team,” Lloyd said ahead of what was likely to be a lengthy selection committee meeting.
“There’s some tough calls to be made, but that’s the way it is,” said the first-year coach who did so before the previous clash with the Luke Saunders-coached Gisborne.
“Simon (Rosa) and Luke (Hammond) were lineball leading into the second semi. We decided to take no risk. A win meant we had an extra week off, which was great for them and a lot of other players.”
The return of Geary, Rosa and Hammond bolsters a midfield to take on the likes of this year’s Michelsen medallist Scott Walsh, as well as Ollie Messaoudi, Shaun Comerford, Lachie Crosbie and more.
Square’s final training run before a fifth consecutive grand final is on tomorrow at Country Vet Oval in Wade Street from 6pm.
The previous two grand final meetings between the clubs in 2002 and ’06 were won by Gisborne.