HENRY’S RISING STAR GIG

GEELONG legend Matthew Scarlett’s defensive lessons have helped transform the Cats’ season, with the club’s unheralded backline ranked No.2 in the AFL over the past month.

Round 7 Rising Star nomination Jack Henry yesterday said Scarlett’s wisdom had filled the Cats’ backline with confidence.

“Playing as a team would be the main (Scarlett advice) and supporting your teammates down back,” Henry said.

“With me specifically, it’s trying to help my mates if they’re caught in a one-onone and trying to come across to help intercept or spoil.

“And then when we don’t have a ball it’s setting up behind it, so working as a team and moving proactively as a team.”

Brownlow medallist Patrick Dangerfield dubbed the young backline ‘Scarlo’s disciples’ after they restricted GWS to just four goals on Friday night.

Henry’s average of 2.2 intercept marks per game is ranked No.1 at the Cats and he also averages 6.2 intercept possessions.

Henry, 19, was awarded two coach’s votes for his performance against the Giants.

“We did get criticised a little bit when we lost those couple of early games and we got scored pretty heavily against,” Henry said.

“But being able to fix our game defensively, I think that comes with getting to play more games with each other and just being on the same page as a group.