WAGGA footballer Matt Suckling has been hit with grand final heartache after being left out of Western Bulldogs’ team for Saturday’s AFL grand final.
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The Bulldogs controversially left Suckling out of their team on Thursday night and named him as their first emergency for the premiership decider against Sydney.
Suckling has battled an achilles injury for the majority of the second half of the season and failed to force his way back into the Bulldogs’ team after missing last week’s preliminary final win.
In a selection surprise, Suckling was deemed fit but was named an emergency as Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge opted for an unchanged 22.
There was no good news for fellow Wagga product Harry Cunningham, who was named an emergency for the Swans.
Sydney chose to bring back Jarrad McVeigh and Callum Mills at the expense of Harrison Marsh and the injured Aliir Aliir.
After lining up against each other in the 2014 AFL grand final, both Suckling and Cunningham will both be forced to watch from the grandstand this time around.
The Bulldogs will now go in without any grand final experience.