Injured Stokes falls on his sword
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday September 25, 2009
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.Whatever the reason, the consequence is clear: when the Geelong players run out on to the MCG tomorrow, Mathew Stokes will not be among them.The industrious small forward was last night confirmed as the Cats' 23rd player for the grand final, on the emergency list alongside Simon Hogan and Shane Mumford.The 24-year-old faced the media to explain his decision to withdraw from the preliminary final against Collingwood with a minor groin injury last week had been motivated by last year's grand final. In that match, Stokes tried to ignore a more severe groin injury but was held goalless and collected only seven possessions as Hawthorn shocked the Cats."It took me a lot of time to get over last year. I actually saw something in the paper today €“ it was pretty funny €“ that said, 'Did Matty Stokes get a $5000 fine for being a spectator and being on the field last year?'. Last year that would have hurt, this year I can look at it and laugh," Stokes said. "To be honest, the whole reason I didn't play last week was because of last year [in the grand final] and letting the boys down."I let my pride get in the way, and this year I didn't want to make the same mistake." In leaving out Stokes, Geelong have preferred his fellow small forwards Shannon Byrnes and Travis Varcoe, as well as pacy defender David Wojcinski.St Kilda have recalled Sean Dempster at the expense of young Robert Eddy.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald