WENTWORTH coach Mark Alvey already knows the pain of missing out on a grand final.
But that doesn’t make the hurt of watching from the sidelines any easier.
Alvey missed out on Wentworth’s 1996 premiership success when he underwent an ankle reconstruction a week before the SFNL final series.
“Wentworth got up and won by two points and I missed that,” Alvey said.
“Some 16 years later and it’s a bit like deja vu, only this time I don’t have much footy left.”
Alvey said it would be hard to watch his players in the season decider against Irymple tomorrow.
“It certainly hurts. It’s not easy standing there watching, but at the same time I know I’ve got a big role to play as coach,” he said.
“That’s where my focus has been and I can still have a fair influence on the side as far as different things that are happening throughout the match.
“I’ve got a job to do for the footy club and the boys, so I’ve got to make sure I’m upbeat and really positive around the group.”
After going down to the Swallows in the second semi-final a fortnight ago, Alvey said there was plenty of room for improvement left in his group.
For more of this story, purchase your copy of Friday's Sunraysia Daily 14-9-2012.