Taylor made for role at back
GEELONG will consider switching Harry Taylor back into defence or blooding untried Ryan Gardner as it seeks to replace fullback Tom Lonergan next season.
The 33-year-old Lonergan was one of the most reliable and durable defenders in recent years, playing at least 19 games in each of the past eight seasons.
But with Lonergan and fellow defender Andrew Mackie hanging up their boots, the Cats will again have to tinker with their backline.
They seem to be well stocked with small defenders given Zach Tuohy, Tom Stewart and Jed Bews all flourished in 2017.
But Taylor was often used forward and 193cm defender Jake Kolodjashnij was trialled with good effect on a wing.
Defender Gardner was taken at pick 59 in the 2015 national draft, with Stephen Wells already having success with Sam Menegola (pick 66) and Wylie Buzza (pick 69) late in that draft.
Gardner is a Tasmanian fullback with good closing speed who has continued to develop in two season in the VFL without breaking through for a senior game so far.
Cats football boss Simon Lloyd says the Cats have options but need to use the summer to see how to reconfigure the key defensive posts.
“We will work through it. There is the option of Harry Taylor going back into defence. We do have the option of ‘ Kolo’ (Kolodjashnij) going back, we have young Ryan Gardner who has already been working hard in the gym in the off season,’’ Lloyd said.
“In a pre-season you can find different players to fill roles or it might even be players we draft who put up their hands to be in the team.”
Lachie Henderson, 27, will fill one of the defensive posts while Taylor, 31, contracted until the end of next year, continues to play strong football.
When Lonergan missed the semi-final against Sydney with food poisoning, he slotted back into defence and kept Lance Franklin goalless.
Geelong has picks 22, 24, 35, 58 and 72 in the draft, so Wells has the chance to take a key defender with one of those picks if he sees fit.
The Cats eventually signed Daniel Menzel on a one-year deal, the 26-year-old forced to accept a more modest offer than he might have hoped.
Lloyd said the Cats were excited to offer Menzel another contract and confident he would build on a 40goal season.
Industry figures believe his situation will be repeated many times over in the next five years of the CBA agreement.
With clubs paying big money to their stars and free agents and with the next five years of salary rises only a few per cent, they will be forced to offer modest take-it-or-leaveit deals to role players not in their top 10 players.