After being rubbed out for three weeks by the Match Review Panel for striking, the Swans’ leading goal kicker watched from the grandstands as up-and-comers Tom Mitchell, Brandon Jack and Jed Lamb fought for their place in the senior team and played important roles each week.
The recently-turned 28-year-old, who has been named for Saturday night’s clash with Collingwood at ANZ Stadium, said he expected there would have been some tough decisions leading into team selection this week.
“Initially I didn’t have any doubts that I could get back into the side,” McGlynn told sydneyswans.com.au.
“Then I started to look at the way the boys have been playing over the last three weeks and you start to question a little bit because everyone is playing so well.
“The younger guys who have come in like Tom Mitchell, Jed Lamb and Brandon Jack, these guys have been playing quality football so I knew there were obviously going to be some tough decisions to come.
“Fortunately I think I’ve got the runs on the board that if I’m up and if I’m fit that I should be right to play.”
During his three-match ban, McGlynn also battled a hamstring injury which he suffered in the first half of the Swans’ clash with GWS in round 16.
After missing key matches at the business end of last season including the 2012 Grand Final, McGlynn said he was relieved to discover that this injury was only minor in comparison.
“It wasn’t as serious as last year,” he said.
“It was just a bit of a cork of the muscle and there was a little bit of bleeding, and out of the three weeks I would have missed two games anyway, so it was kind of a blessing in disguise that it’s come at the same time as the suspension.
“Everything has been fine and I’ve been training well over the last two weeks.”
The Swans’ last three wins over Richmond, West Coast and the Western Bulldogs stretched the team’s winning streak to six consecutive games and elevated the team into second place on the AFL ladder.
McGlynn said he was hungry to return to the field this weekend and repay the faith the club has shown for placing him straight back into the side a month out from finals.
“It’s good to watch from the grandstands and realise that all the little things that we talk about between these walls are very important and to watch them unfold and work from above and from the outside you do get more of an appreciation of why it’s so valued,” he said.
“It makes you want to come back in and be a part of that and push to play my role in the team.
“I’m feeling fresher than what I probably would have been and it was good to have a little break, but it’s just great to be able to come in and be fully fit and ready to go.
“You don’t want to miss any football but I’m just happy to be back and I just want to put a good month in before September and obviously put my right foot forward starting this Saturday night against Collingwood.”
