Emotions have come pouring out of Hawthorn midfielder Will Day after winning his first final following two years of injury heartache.
The smooth mover was forced to watch from the sidelines last year as his Hawks won their way through to a preliminary final against Geelong and lost in a classic, a year after missing his side’s run to a semi-final defeat to Port Adelaide.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Will Day’s emotional first final after two-year injury battle
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Day played just 22 games between the start of 2024 and Round 12 this season as he has battled a horrific navicular injury, shoulder and collarbone problems, and recurring feet problems.
But since coming back into the team in half-way through this year, the 25-year-old has been managed beautifully and hasn’t missed a beat.
On Thursday night, he was one of Hawthorn’s best with 24 touches as the Hawks upset minor premiers Fremantle in a commanding 32-point win at Optus Stadium.
Speaking to Channel 7’s Bec Maddern after the game, he couldn’t hide his emotion.
“Don’t be embarrassed about being emotional,” Maddern said to Day.
“I can see that your eyes are getting a bit glazy here, but with good reason. You’ve had to watch on the sidelines for two years watching this Hawthorn team mount their finals campaign. And you played tonight and you won.”
Day was overcome with gratitude.
“I don’t even know what to say, like, it’s been a pretty raw two years,” he said through tears.
“And to come in and everyone wrote us off and to come over and get it done here — it’s just so much fun. Like, I’ve dreamt of this as a kid.
“I just wanted to come in absolutely grateful and take away all the pressure, no expectation, and whatever was going to be was going to be tonight. And it was just so much fun.”
Hawthorn’s win books them a home preliminary final in two weeks after a result no one saw coming — except the Hawks themselves.
“I can,” Day said when asked if he could believe the scoreline.
“We came in with a lot of confidence. We knew when we’re at our best we can get it done against anyone and it clicked tonight. It’s been a few weeks of putting a few things together but we got there so it’s been good.
“We knew they were never out of it. Like there have been so many games this year where they’ve mowed teams down. So we were on edge and I made it sweeter at the end.
“Mum and dad and grandpa (were here) as well, who played at Hawthorn, so to have them come over and yeah, it just means a lot.”
Day kept his emotions in check for most of the interview, but let it come flooding out again as he walked off and was embraced by assistant coaches David Hale and Adrian Hickmott.
Even Hawks coach Sam Mitchell admitted he was a bit emotional thinking about Day’s comeback to this point.
“I must admit, walking down in the lift, I was finding myself getting a bit emotional thinking about like, how many people put in how much work to get to this point,” Mitchell told Seven.
“What he’s been through from an injury point of view — imagine the self doubt. When he wakes up this morning coming into his first final, ‘Will I be OK?’
“And then not just to play, but to perform at the level that he did, was incredible.”
Speaking ahead of what was his 88th game and first final, Day conceded there were times he never thought he’d get to this point.
“I mean there was definitely some times where you felt really defeated,” Day said.
“You come back, you put everything into your rehab, and then to go down with another injury, you do feel really helpless at times.
“At times you think, ‘Oh, is this just me?’
“But to keep going and really push through, I think it’ll make this final series even sweeter.
“Since I’ve been back from this shoulder, I’ve just been really grateful to be back playing, and then to be able to do that in September with a bunch of mates that I love so much is going to be pretty cool.”
