Injured Stokes falls on his sword

IT COULD have been the bad memories of playing injured players in last year's grand final, or an unwillingness to disturb a winning team, or even the desire for grand-final discards of previous years not to miss out again.

Stokes takes final cut with grace and humour

IT MAY have been remembering the folly of playing injured players in last year's grand final, it may have been an unwillingness to disturb a winning team, it may even have been a desire that grand final discards of previous years not miss out again. Irrespective of the reason the consequence is clear: when the Geelong team runs out onto the MCG tomorrow, Mathew Stokes will not be part of it.