Not only were the Swampies through to their second decider in three years — O’Sullivan was uninjured.

O’Sullivan has suffered more than his fair share of injuries and finals heartache, which started at Albury in 2009.

The athletic big man was the hard-luck story of Albury’s 2009 flag after missing the decider against Yarrawonga with an adductor injury sustained late in the season.

Twelve months later, and for the second successive year, O’Sullivan was again facing a race against time after suffering a knee injury in the second semi-final.

O’Sullivan was forced to undergo a searching fitness test the day before the decider under the watchful eye of Tiger mentor Paul Spargo before being given the all-clear and achieving the ultimate success against Yarrawonga.

He joined Henty in 2011 but it didn’t signal the end of his injury curse.

The Swampies ruckman suffered a torn ACL in the final round of the 2012 season but played in the grand final with his knee heavily strapped.

Last year he missed the preliminary final when left dazed after landing heavily in a marking contest in the second semi-final.

“It’s nice to be running around in grand final week for a change,” O’Sullivan said.

“Looking back I’ve probably had my fair share of lowlights and hopefully I’m due for a change of luck and we can get the job done.

“But there is no use in looking back and saying shoulda, coulda, woulda — all I’m focused on is trying to contribute the best I can on Saturday.”

O’Sullivan said he had no regrets about playing in the 2012 decider with a torn AC which he had operated on after the grand final.

“I went through a fitness test on the Friday and was cleared to play,” he said.

“I didn’t have the impact that I would have liked but hopefully I can make amends.”

O’Sullivan is shooting for his third flag after tasting the ultimate success with Palm Beach Currumbin in 2007 and Albury in 2010.

But even the 2007 decider wasn’t without drama.

“You won’t believe it but I broke my foot in the first quarter,” he said.

“I played all game but thinking I was bullet proof I didn’t get it looked at straight away.

“After celebrating fairly hard on the Saturday night and the Sunday, my foot was black by mad Monday.

“I was laying on the couch and one of the trainers noticed how black my foot was and took me straight to the doctor.

“It turned out I had two fractures in the foot and one in the little toe.”

Looking back I’ve probably had my fair share of lowlights and hopefully I’m due for a change of luck and we can get the job done.

JAMARL O’SULLIVAN