When a member of Port Adelaide, Nick Lower was very close to playing in the 2007 AFL Grand Final.

Despite not playing an AFL game for that entire season, he was in line to replace Michael Wilson, the classy Power back-pocket who ruptured his Achilles in the Preliminary Final the week before.

Lower was the closest like-for-like swap for Wilson, his mentor at Port and a player he had modelled his game on.

“I hadn’t played AFL yet that season, but I was the most likely fit to replace Michael,” Lower said.

“I never expected to, but I hoped to.”

On the Thursday morning of Grand Final week, selection day, the hard-at-it midfielder was called into then Power coach Mark Williams’ office to find out if he had made the cut.

“’Chocco’ called me in and we had a lengthy chat,” Lower said.

“He told me they would be going with Brad Symes instead.

“It would have been fantastic to play, despite the result we got in the end.”

Port was on the wrong end of a 119-point hiding against a rampant Geelong side.

Lower said the events of Grand Final week, right up to the game, was a priceless experience, and one he’d love to go through again.

“The club flew all the players over to experience the event so we could feel a part of it,” he said.

“I learnt a lot from it. It’s a great feeling and one that I hope my current teammates will get to experience one day.”