Scott wants Menzel in 2019
GEELONG coach Chris Scott says Daniel Menzel will be offered another one-year deal to stay at the Cats after kicking five goals in his side’s clinical win over St Kilda last night.
Despite Menzel’s desire for a longer term contract last season, Scott said doubts over the 26-yearold’s body meant no club would be prepared to table a two-year deal for the goal sneak.
Menzel sits equal third with Jeremy Cameron in the Coleman Medal count with 14 majors from the opening month, three behind Lance Franklin and one off North Melbourne’s Ben Brown.
Scott said he was rapt to see the forward’s potential coming through.
“I think the training background that he’s got now is really helping him,” he said.
“It’s fantastic to see him able to train with an eye to performance, as opposed to all the hours of work he’s done, not only to get out on the field for AFL games but for training itself.
“He has gone through patches, I think early last year was a bit similar where his body was feeling good and he was able to train and he performed accordingly.
“The challenge for all of us now is that he’s managed to the point where he can continue to do enough work that facilitates performance like that.”
But Scott said it was unlikely the Cats could offer Menzel a long-term deal.
“I feel for him, but he just can’t expect that any club is going to commit to him for the long-term because there are just so many doubts over his body and none of them are his fault — it’s just the unfortunate situation he’s in,” he said.
“But, yeah, I’d love to have him committed to 2019.”
The Cats were not left unscathed from the 15.13 (103) to 7.14 (56) win, however, with small forward Cory Gregson injuring his left foot, the same one that sidelined him for 2017.
“He came off with a sore foot and as soon as we all heard he had a sore foot, we were always going to be conservative, even if the game was on the line,” Scott said.
“He’s a bit sore now but he doesn’t know (what’s wrong), so we’ll have to wait on that one. (But)