Diesels dynamo back from bench to help break Junee's drought

JUNEE hard-runner Sam Quinn has shaken off two years of injury woes and has declared he is ready as ever to line up for tomorrow's Group Nine grand final.Half a season of rugby league is all that Quinn has been allowed to play over the past two years after enduring a horror injury run.Quinn was forced to the sideline for the whole of last season following a knee reconstruction but was welcomed back to the field this year.He survived three rounds of football before suffering a sickening broken jaw against Cootamundra during the Diesels' round four loss.The dynamic second-rower then spent another seven weeks watching from the bench but was able to make another comeback with five rounds remaining in the season.After helping Junee to its first Group Nine decider in 24 years, Quinn will line-up with the Diesels for his first senior grand final."I'm 100 per cent right now," Quinn revealed yesterday."Over the last month or so my knee has been the best it's been since I had the reco."I've had a bit of a rough run but it's all fine now and I'm real keen for Sunday."Tomorrow will mark Quinn's first senior grand final, having played in an under 18 decider while with Harden.Quinn admits with all his injury dramas it has been difficult to keep his fitness up to scratch, but maintains he is fully fit to play tomorrow."When Skip (Adam Perry) had us in '08 he kept us all really fit," he said."I guess it was a bit hard to keep fit when I wasn't playing footy, but Mark (Elia) has had us training well this year and I should be fine on Sunday."It hasn't been too bad this year, I really only missed that middle part of the season."Junee will take on Tumut for the top honour tomorrow at Lavington Sportsground, and play for its first premiership since 1986.Quinn revealed the players as well as the supporters have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time."The whole town is going mad over it," he laughed."I'm a little bit nervous, I guess, but I can't wait, it should be good."Tumut has beat us twice this year but they were both close games, and we will go in quietly confident."Meanwhile, Quinn says a decision has not yet been made whether injured hooker Perry will start on the field or on the bench.n More Group Nine: Page 47