The former AFL-listed forward will play in his maiden Hampden league grand final on Saturday after watching his teams – Warrnambool in 2015 and Koroit in 2016 – play on the big stage the past two years.

McIntyre, 28, missed the decider in his one season at the Blues through injury.

He crossed to the Saints the next season as an assistant coach but missed another grand final as he recovered from a knee reconstruction.

Now, having kicked 27 goals from 17 matches this year, he’s preparing to face Port Fairy at Reid Oval in a bid to win his first premiership at any level.

“My last grand final was 10 years ago with TAC Cup side Murray Bushrangers,” McIntyre said.

“It was against Calder Cannons and we only just got done.”

McIntyre said it was difficult watching grand finals from the sidelines.

But he believes there was a silver lining from his injury-wrecked first season at Victoria Park.

“Last year was really good in terms of doing the rehab stuff and getting to know the boys and the way they play their football,” McIntyre said.

“It’s made it easier for me this year with how we play.”

Koroit is hoping its goalkicking woes – it’s kicked just 18 goals from 61 scoring shots its past two matches – are over.

“On the weekend we kicked 24 points and the week before we had kicked fairly inaccurately too,” McIntyre said.

“With finals football, especially grand finals, you have to make every score count.

“The boys have been doing a fair bit of goalkicking practice and have been going through their routines.”