‘Net negative’: Cats’ take on GF player availability
Shayne Hope |
Geelong coach Chris Scott concedes Tom Stewart is irreplaceable as he plots a way to cover the star defender’s absence from the grand final.
Stewart is the Cats’ hard-luck story after he was ruled out under concussion protocols, having been subbed out of the preliminary final.
Ruckman Rhys Stanley has been recalled to take Stewart’s spot in the 23-player squad, freeing up utility Mark Blicavs to potentially slide back into defence as cover.
Such flexibility has been a Geelong hallmark in recent seasons and has served them well as they prepare for a third grand final in six years.
But the hole left by five-time All-Australian and 2022 premiership star Stewart will put the Cats’ depth to the test.
“I’ve never subscribed to the theory that when one of your best players goes out that it’s just the next man up,” Scott said.
“They’re impossible to replace like for like, so we’ll think about it a little bit differently.
“It’s not to say that we don’t think we have other options. We do, but that’s a challenge.”
Stanley returns after missing two lead-up finals while recovering from a hamstring injury, and somewhat offsets the loss of Stewart.
It gives the Cats a genuine lead ruckman to go up against Lions pair Darcy Fort and Oscar McInerney.
“The ruck one, look, we just see that as a positive,” Scott said.
“We’ve probably built our team over the years, at least the last four or five years, with a view to having some flexibility and different levers to pull.
“So Tom’s a net negative in that respect, but Rhys is the positive that sort of goes some way to evening up that ledger.”
While Blicavs could slot into Stewart’s role in defence, there is also a theory he could be the man to target Brisbane’s intercept king Harris Andrews at the other end.
Andrews has had the better of Cats forward Shannon Neale in recent meetings and presents a huge threat, especially in the air.
“It’s hard for us to put in much more work. He’s been a pretty good player for a while,” Scott said.
“And I think maybe that’s the situation both teams find themselves in.
“I suspect the meetings will be pretty short between now and the game, and even earlier in the week it wasn’t as if we needed to start at the beginning with the threats that Brisbane present.
“Both teams know each other pretty well. I don’t think Harris is going to be their secret weapon.”
AAP
