Geelong forward Chloe Scheer is set to make the most unlikely return in AFLW history for their preliminary final against the Brisbane Lions.
With her right arm still in a sling as recently as Sunday, Scheer has been selected to play through the pain at the Lions' Springfield base on Saturday night.
Geelong named Scheer in their squad on Thursday despite the dangerous goal-kicker suffering a hairline fracture in her collarbone during Geelong's elimination-final triumph against Essendon.
The Cats upset reigning premiers Melbourne last Sunday without Scheer to progress to the final-four for just the second time in their AFLW history.
"She's a genuine chance to play this week," Geelong AFLW coach Dan Lowther said on Thursday before the teams were announced.
"She trained on Tuesday night, albeit on the side of the main group.
"She'll train (on Thursday) so if she gets through the session, we'll have some discussions and decisions to make whether she comes in this week or we roll the dice and see how we go."
Lowther and the Cats were fully prepared to be without Scheer, who has kicked a career-high 19 goals this season, for the rest of 2023 when she was hurt against the Bombers.
The talented Scheer has had a tortured run with injury, twice rupturing her ACL while playing for Adelaide, including during the Crows' 2019 AFLW grand final win over Carlton.
"It's one of those injuries where there's not much you can do apart from tolerate the pain," Lowther said.
"Once it's had a chance to settle, she's now exploring how she feels with it."
The Lions come into the match as heavy favourites to progress to their fifth AFLW grand final as they try to make amends for last year's heartbreaking defeat in the decider to Melbourne.
But Geelong will head north full of confidence after holding off a last-quarter surge from the Demons in one of the best finishes to an AFLW game.
"It's definitely going to be a challenge and go up to Brisbane but not without confidence," Lowther said.
"Look at last week against the Dees ... it just shows we're good enough to play against any opposition on any given day."
