BRISBANE hung Jarrod Berry’s No. 7 guernsey next to the door in the rooms and put a photo of the injured midfielder on the board in the meeting room, using his absence to inspire the Lions to back-to-back premierships at the MCG on Saturday. 

Berry knew he was a long shot of playing in a third straight Grand Final after dislocating his shoulder in last Saturday’s preliminary final win over Collingwood, but wasn’t ruled out until Thursday morning.

The 27-year-old travelled to Melbourne with the team on Wednesday and met with Chris Fagan before training at Ikon Park the following day, where the Brisbane coach told him what he knew was coming.

Berry is booked in for a shoulder reconstruction back in Queensland next Tuesday and will undergo a Latarjet procedure to fix his left shoulder. 

Hugh McCluggage, who arrived at the Lions at the same time – both were selected in the first-round of the 2016 AFL Draft at No.3 and No.17 – weeks after Fagan was appointed, said his mate from boarding school at Ballarat Clarendon College still made an impact this week.

“We had Bez’s photo up on the board at the start of the day. His jumper was on the wall as we walked out,” McCluggage told AFL.com.au in the rooms after the 47-point win over Geelong on Saturday. 

“Bez has been so important for our brotherhood, he is one of the players who is the glue of this group and he has been from the start. Just like ‘Big O’ last year it was devastating for him. He is a great team man and he held his head up high.”

Berry understood the decision not to pick him. He was subbed out of the round 23 win over Fremantle when he dislocated his shoulder on August 15. He then got through two finals, but did it again on September 20. The risks were too great. 

“The conversation wasn’t that long,” Berry explained. “It was Fages’ and my call together. I decided to have a little sook (briefly), but as I have my whole life, I looked at what’s next and what’s more important. That was getting around the boys and keeping the energy up.

“We had a few sore bodies going in. To have added me on top of it, with it popping out twice in four games, the chances weren’t great. It was one of those decisions that hurts at the time, but it’s all justified now.”

Berry has been through far more challenging situations in his family life, but knew he had to continue to be the glue that kept the group together in a week where they spent more time in Melbourne than in Brisbane.

“Obviously the disappointment is one of those things that come with footy; we saw it last year with Oscar, the year before with Linc McCarthy and those boys that haven’t been able to play in Grand Finals,” he said.

“I still feel lucky in a sense, but from the moment I was told it was put on me straight away that I’m one of the big brotherhood, one of the big-spirit guys around the group, so it was important to keep that energy in the group, put on a brave face. I took that role on and tried to energise the group still. It worked out pretty well.”

The 2016 draft class has proven crucial for the dynasty under Fagan. Not only did Brisbane recruit McCluggage and Berry in the AFL Draft, they unearthed a 21-year-old ruckman from the Casey Scorpions twos in the Rookie Draft. 

Oscar McInerney was the heartbreak story last year when he dislocated his shoulder in the preliminary final comeback win against Geelong. Berry was thrilled to see ‘Big O’ get a medal after enduring the pain of watching on in 2024.

“I’m so happy for him,” he said. “Good guys like that actually get repaid. He is one of the best blokes you’ll ever meet; selfless as anything, will do anything for the team. To see a guy like that get rewarded with his own medal is so special.”

McCluggage was brilliant in the semi-final win over Gold Coast (33 disposals and ten clearances) and the preliminary final victory over Collingwood (37 disposals and ten clearances), but it didn’t stop him agonising over the Grand Final match-up he would face. 

Irishman Oisin Mullin clamped him in the qualifying final loss against the Cats three weeks ago, restricting him to just 14 disposals – his lowest count since the pandemic – and three clearances. 

McCluggage responded in the Grand Final, amassing 26 disposals, 577 metres gained, four goals and three goal assists to poll a vote in the Norm Smith Medal on a day where he became a two-time premiership player. 

“I was pretty nervous,” McCluggage said.

“I spent a lot of time early in the week looking at it, and you never know with Geelong, they might not even go to it. But it obviously worked last time. 

“There were a few things I tried to do better with my movement, my physicality, but overall I just had to have a better mindset and be a better leader out there, no matter if I was getting the ball or I wasn’t. Early on I was able to be a good teammate and as the game opened up I was able to get involved.”

Brisbane is the fifth team of the modern era to go back-to-back, joining Adelaide (1997-98), Brisbane (2001-03), Hawthorn (2013-15) and Richmond (2019-20). Only the Lions and Hawks have done the three-peat since the VFL became the AFL. 

Berry will be the one driving the group over the pre-season to match the feats set by Leigh Matthews’ famous era, just like the others who missed out on Saturday due to injuries: Linc McCarthy, Kiddy Coleman, Jack Payne, Eric Hipwood, Tom Doedee and Noah Answerth.

“It is one of the things that I pride myself on, making sure guys come back in good nick. I saw an article about ‘Hodgey’ [Luke Hodge] and how they enjoyed it for two weeks and were then back on the horse; we are very similar in that sense,” Berry said.

“There are a lot of guys in our group that still deserve to win a premiership medal and you want to do it for them. Linc McCarthy is one of the big ones. We will get back on the horse and give it another crack but enjoy the moment for now.”