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<\/p>\n\u201c[The time out] was a blessing in disguise. I got another couple of weeks to rest my shoulder. To be fair, I felt really confident with my shoulder. A lot of people said I was rushed back, but it was just bad luck [the fractured forearm]. It was a totally different injury. It was frustrating to hear [people say] I was rushed back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hughes assured Craig Bellamy he was fit to play, and the master coach backed him.<\/p>\n
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Braydon Trindall\u2019s high shot on Jahrome Hughes. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a big call to leave Jonah [Pezet] out, but the thing with Hughesy, when he spoke to me about it, he was just so confident he was OK,\u201d Bellamy said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s not an overconfident or cocky kid at all, so when he told me he was ready, I knew he\u2019d be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hughes tested out his arm last Thursday, and was relieved to find there were no issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to get a full week of [contact] and didn\u2019t want to come in the week of the game trying [to test it] at the captain\u2019s run \u2013 that would have put the team under pressure,\u201d Hughes said.<\/p>\n
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The arm guard worn by Jahrome Hughes in Friday\u2019s preliminary final.Credit: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to say I was right a week before. Once I did that, that gave me and all the boys confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hughes praised back-rower Eli Katoa and his fellow right-edge defenders for protecting him from Cronulla\u2019s attackers, who tested his arm on several occasions.<\/p>\n
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The 30-year-old reigning Dally M Medal winner was more upset about his fat lip, which happened in the second half when Trindall shot out of the defensive line. Trindall was penalised but not placed on report.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they [officials] said because it was head-on-head [contact] it\u2019s not as bad,\u201d Hughes said of the incident, which left him bloodied.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you can\u2019t go out there and be reckless and headbutt people, can you?<\/p>\n
\u201cIt looked like that. I think when you\u2019re coming out of the line, not in control, it\u2019s a bit dangerous if you\u2019re leading with your head and start getting head-on-head contact. You can do a lot of damage. It\u2019s done a bit of damage to my mouth, but it\u2019s all good.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for why Melbourne can turn around last year\u2019s grand final defeat, Hughes said: \u201cWe have a lot of self belief in this group. The loss of last year will help us a bit, not just with motivation, but learning about what we did right and what we did wrong, not just in the game but in the prep \u2013 there\u2019s a lot that goes into the training week.<\/p>\n
\u201cHopefully we can handle that a bit better.\u201d<\/p>\n