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There were a lot of heroic performances during the Cats’ six-point qualifying final win over the Magpies, but none greater than Gary Rohan’s showing.
With plenty of chatter about his poor finals record leading into the match, the veteran forward stood up and was counted when it mattered most, taking a stunning contested mark in the final minutes.
The 31-year-old took the match-winning grab at half-forward just seconds after Jordan De Goey put the Pies back in front. And keeping his composure, Rohan went back and drilled the 50m set shot.
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Speaking after the heart-stopping battle, the Fox Footy pundits were full of praise for Rohan and for the contest, with Melbourne great Gary Lyon even describing the match as “one of the greatest games of footy” he’s ever seen.
“He was under pressure during the week and Chris Scott as a coach supporting his player handled it absolutely perfectly. He played them on a break,” St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt said.
“The performance from Gary Rohan tonight – it wasn’t just that last moment, it was a big, complete game from a small forward in a forward line that just didn’t function outside of Jeremy Cameron keeping them in it early.
“So to go out, to take the clunk. It was a big, hard, strong mark … It was unbelievable.”
“It looked like Wayne Carey,” Lions legend Jonathan Brown added.
Rohan finished with three majors and 14 disposals, including the key goal assist on the Max Holmes game-winning goal.
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Appreciation for the former Swan also came from his teammates and coach.
“We’re just so proud of him,” winger Isaac Smith said.
“We’ve got a great group and there’s points in time where every individual you doubt or don’t have the game they would like, but he was unbelievable today and he won us the game.
“Here’s to a big September for him.”
Ahead of Saturday’s clash, Matthew Lloyd told Nine’s Footy Classified that Rohan was the Cats player under most pressure, citing his quiet games in last year’s preliminary final loss to Melbourne and the 2020 grand final loss to Richmond.
When the suggestion was put to coach Chris Scott, he lashed out, calling the narrative “borderline silliness”.
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Scott rubbishes Rohan finals criticism
“I don’t subscribe to that theory,” he said.
“I think every player is a little bit different, and the art of coaching is trying to push the right buttons.
“We think [Rohan] is a great foil for (Tom) Hawkins and (Jeremy) Cameron. He’s a difficult match-up if the opposition give him too much space, and his pressure is elite.”
Speaking post-game, Scott echoed his earlier defence of Rohan’s capabilities.
“It’s not that anyone in our club, especially me, is critical of other people making that assessment, that’s kind of the job, I get it, but it’s just not the world we live in,” he said.
“It is gratifying, I don’t mind saying that. We are really clear on what he can bring to our team and the way we play.
“He’s absolutely an energy giver, his teammates love playing with him and I’m just really proud of him.”
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