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“We plan to progress Will’s rehab next week and remain hopeful that he may be available for the second week of finals, should we progress.”

Day is one of the best emerging midfielders in the game and would have been a strong inclusion against a powerful Bulldogs midfield led by champion and AFL MVP Marcus Bontempelli. He has averaged almost 20 disposals in his 16 games, in a season when club great Dermott Brereton has labelled him the team’s best player.

Cam Mackenzie stepped into his role and had 23 disposals against North Melbourne.

The Hawks trained under lights at Punt Rd in the hope of helping players assimilate to the conditions they can expect at the MCG against the Bulldogs. The Hawks have not played a Friday night game since 2022, having been taken off “Broadway” because of what was expected to have been a painful rebuild.

However, since losing their opening five games, the Hawks have been one of the stunning success stories of the season. Since round 16, they lead the league in scoring, and are second for points against.

Rebounding half-back Changkuoth Jiath (calf) will push for a recall in the VFL on Saturday.

Docherty closing in on September miracle

Andrew Wu

Inspirational Carlton stalwart Sam Docherty believes he is ready to pull off a September miracle by making a remarkable finals return against the Brisbane Lions next week.

Docherty’s chances of lining up against the Lions are growing by the day, as the Blues weigh up how many of their eight injured stars they can bring back for next Saturday night’s elimination final at the Gabba.

Spearhead Charlie Curnow was limited to straight-line running and light skills away from the main group at an open session attended by about 4000 diehard fans at Ikon Park on Saturday morning. Battling an injury to his left ankle, he did not kick on that foot. Coach Michael Voss indicated on Friday the two-time Coleman medallist would line up against the Lions.

Injured trio Tom De Koning, Adam Cerra and Jack Martin trained on Friday and did not take part, while Harry McKay, Mitch McGovern and Zac Williams, who are also pressing their cases after injury, all completed the 90-minute session.

Free of tape or bandage to his knee, Docherty moved freely and looked sharp. If he plays at the Gabba, it will be almost six months to the day since he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in the opening round at the same venue.

Few players would even attempt to make such a quick comeback from an injury that usually requires nine to 12 months on the sidelines but Docherty has shown more resilience than most, surviving two bouts of cancer and overcoming two previous ACL tears.

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Close friend Patrick Cripps said a week one return in the finals had been a long-range goal for Docherty, who has been in full training for about six weeks.

“I think that was definitely a goal for him,” Cripps said. “Like anything, if you set the goal, you chase it, or if you fall short, at least he’s going to give himself another chance to play if we get through. He’s a guy that doesn’t do it the normal way, and he’s resilient.

“All the stories you hear, we get to see the real-life version of the hard work he puts in which takes a special person to do it.”

Should Docherty play, it would provide the Blues with a significant emotional lift after a torrid last two months of the home-and-away campaign in which they tumbled from second to ninth, and only just scraped into the finals after Port Adelaide bailed them out of jail by beating Fremantle in the last game of the home and away season.

“When you get the right mindset, and you set a goal and you get after it like he’s done, you can achieve amazing things, so it’ll be a huge boost,” Cripps said.

“But another thing would really help us with is he’s a great leader out there. He knows the game. He knows how to stand up in big moments, and that’s invaluable.”

Docherty’s lack of match practice counts against him, and the Blues’ long list of players potentially coming back from injury adds an extra layer of complexity for Michael Voss’s match committee, but he has proven he can perform off a limited preparation. In round one, 2022, he had 25 possessions and a goal after a preseason interrupted by his recovery from cancer.

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Cripps is not on the match committee but would love to have Docherty riding shotgun with him as he strides onto the Gabba.

“That’s a pretty easy question to answer, I reckon,” Cripps said. “He’s a great mate of mine. He’s a great leader. So he’s ready to go, which I know he thinks he is. Then, if he gets picked, we would love to have him play.

“We’ve been through a lot together, and he’s a guy you trust on the footy field. If he gets picked, he’s going to perform.”

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