After missing out in 2008 and '12, former Hawk gets his shot at glory
BEN McGLYNN is happy to have the chance to finally exorcise the daily demons that have lodged in his mind the past two years since missing the Sydney Swans' 2012 Grand Final triumph.
McGlynn has been one of the standouts this season in a Swans side that cruised through to the premiership decider with a 71-point flogging of North Melbourne on Friday.
It looms as a case of third time lucky for McGlynn.
He missed the 2012 season decider with a hamstring injury and wondered if he would get another grand final chance after also missing out on playing in Hawthorn's 2008 premiership side.
"I was part of the group, but I wasn't anywhere near playing, and then in 2012, obviously falling short (fitness-wise)," McGlynn said.
"2012 was obviously disappointing and it's been my driving force over the last couple of years and it's great to get the opportunity to play in a Grand Final.
"You see a lot of players retire and if they haven't played in a premiership or made the finals, it's one of their regrets and you do think 'is this my last chance?'"
He said he had a completely different mindset to the same week two years ago, when he tried to prove his fitness on the Tuesday, but couldn't get through the training session.
"I pulled up well from the game and waking up today it's a great feeling," McGlynn said.
This year, McGlynn got his injury issues out of the way before the finals, missing Sydney's last three home and away games with a calf problem.
"I'm very confident now in my body," McGlynn said.
The 2014 Toyota AFL Grand Final Parade will be held through the streets of the City of Melbourne on Friday, September 26. The Parade, to be exclusively broadcast by Fox Footy, will take its traditional route, commencing at 12 pm in St Kilda Road, adjacent to the Arts Centre Melbourne, travel north into Swanston Street, before turning right into Collins Street.
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