Brisbane forward Linc McCarthy edging closer towards goal of being available for AFL finals series
McCarthy, 31, hasn't played for the Lions since May last year when he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee during a Brisbane win over the Gold Coast Suns at the Gabba.
Before he could make his playing return, he suffered the same injury at a training session on March 5 this year.
However, rather than undergo the usual surgery and recovery, which would have ruled him out of appearing in a grand final for a second time should Brisbane reach the 2025 decider, McCarthy is understood to have gone the non-traditional route by having the torn ACL replaced with a graft from the patella tendon rather than the hamstring tendon.
It gave McCarthy – whose contract expires at the end of the season – the chance to make a quicker comeback, and so far, things have gone to plan.
He has rejoined the main group for skills training, has increased his training volume and could be available to play in four weeks, which would be less than six months after suffering the second knee injury.
'He's definitely ramping up his training, and he joined in some skills the other day, and I thought 'that's happened quickly', but he's going along OK at the moment,' Fagan said of McCarthy.
'It's a day-by-day, week-by-week thing, but he's trying to give himself the best chance to get back and be available if we are good enough to make finals.
'He's incredibly desperate. That's why he's doing it. I look at him and thinking 'you're crazy', but he wants to try, and I don't want to stop him, so that's where all that's at.'
McCarthy would add further depth to Brisbane's forward line should he become available before the end of the season.
Tall forward Sam Day is again available for selection on Friday night when second-placed Brisbane host the Western Bulldogs after missing last week's win over Carlton for personal reasons.
Should Day return, it's likely to be at the expense at one of the Lions' two ruckmen – Oscar McInerney or Darcy Fort.
The Lions will have to make at least two changes to their 23-player match-day squad, with midfielder-forward Zac Bailey suspended and defender Noah Answerth ruled out for the season after suffering a ruptured achilles tendon in the win over the Blues.
However, Fagan said star half-back Keidean Coleman would not be one of the replacements as he continued his return from a quad injury in Brisbane's VFL team.
'Good form and be able to play quarters of football,' Fagan said when asked what he wanted to see from Coleman in the reserves team before recalling him to the senior side.
The Lions can put a dent in the Bulldogs' hopes of playing finals football with a win on Friday.
'Generally speaking, they've been good defensively, albeit that's the criticism of them at the moment, but I reckon they would have done a bit of work on that this week, so I'm expecting a good all-round game from the Bulldogs,' Fagan said.
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