If the Essendon players needed any more motivation going into this weekend's Grand Final then they only needed to take one look at the forlorn figure of Michael Long walking from Windy Hill this afternoon. Long had torn his hamstring and he knew his season was over as he walked from the ground. He wasn't showing it to the world but those who know Long knew something was wrong. The sight of the club vice-captain and 1993 Norm Smith Medal will be played over and over again in the minds of the Essendon players over the next three days and it might just provide the spur that will see the Bombers fire this weekend.

Tonight's training session was held in front of a crowd of about 3000 and all of them realised the pressure that Michael Long was under. Every time Long touched the ball the crowd cheered and his push for Grand Final selection appeared to be gathering momentum. But after about 15 minutes Long clutched at his hamstring and in a split second his season was over.

Rather than disrupt the Bombers second last training session of the season Long simply had a quiet word to fellow veteran Dean Wallis and walked to the rooms. A great team man he didn't want to make his own misforutne public knowledge and take his teammates mind off the job at hand.

But inside it must have torn Long apart. He has been devastated by injury for large chunks of his career and this was a shattering blow for one of the Bombers' favorite sons. He has worked tirelessly to overcome a chronic knee injury and when the finish line was in sight he was cruelly cut down again. Dean Rioli has a number of goals in AFL footbal - one of them was to play in a Grand Final with his hero Michael Long. He was devastated with the news.

Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy spoke to the media to explain Long's misfortune - he too looked genuinely rocked by what had happened. But if there is a coach in the AFL who can turn a negative into a positive it is Sheeds and he will point out to his players just how much they have to play for this weekend.

Opportunities only come around so often - they are fleeting and they must be grabbed when they arrive. That will be the message to the Essendon players this week. They have the chance to create history this weekend and it is a chance that is unlikely to ever come their way again. Michael Long bleeds red and black and there is only one result that will bring a smile back to his face this weekend.