THE LEGEND CONTINUES
HUGE ROLE AS HENRY RETURNS
IT’S a name held in the highest regard at Kardinia Park. Now the Cats have welcomed another Hickey into the fold, with boom AFLW recruit Mel Hickey set to follow in the famous steps of her legendary relative Reg.
EMERGING defender Jack Henry, pictured, says he is preparing for the biggest game of his short career when Geelong meets Collingwood in an MCG blockbuster on Sunday.
Concussed in the Easter Monday clash against Hawthorn, Rising Star nominee Henry will return to the MCG for the first time as the Cats seek a second-straight win.
“It’s definitely a big game,” Henry said.
“We’ve struggled sometimes in the past against Collingwood, so it will be really good to, hopefully, try and turn the tables and play our way and play well on the MCG.
“It will be a good finalstype game.”
The Cats proved too strong for the Magpies in Round 22 last season, winning by 11 points, but Collingwood had their measure on the previous three occasions.
Henry will again play a crucial role in Geelong’s unheralded backline, which will be tasked with stopping forwards Darcy Moore, Mason Cox and Jordan De Goey.
While Henry is yet to receive a match-up from coach Chris Scott, the 191cm defender knows he will need to be versatile.
“In modern-day football you chop and change around who you’re playing on,” Henry said on his role on Sunday.
“Most of us last week manned up on every single one of their forwards, so it’s hard to really pinpoint one player.”
Henry yesterday took part in the club’s Cyber Cats program with students from his former secondary school, St Joseph’s College, where he has become something of an overnight hero.
Named in the best after the thrashing of GWS Giants last week, Henry was lauded as the NAB Rising Star for Round 7.
What followed was discussions with the Cats to extend his contract.
“It is exciting,” Henry said of the past week.
“It’s all been a bit of a whirlwind the last month or so. I’m just trying to go about it week by week and see how I’m going.
“Everyone’s pretty excited. There’s a bit of excitement around.”
Filling the void left by injured duo Harry Taylor and Lachie Henderson, Henry’s rise has surprised many, but none more than the man himself.
Asked if he could believe his evolution as a footballer, the six-gamer quipped: “To be honest, not really. I had a bit of an interrupted pre-season.
“I only got back with two practice matches (left) in the VFL. To be able to get that opportunity in Round 2 was pretty exciting, and I’ve just tried to improve each week.
“I was pretty surprised I got the Rising Star by Round 7.”
Henry, a product of the Geelong Falcons and St Mary’s, credited Cats’ VFL coach Shane O’Bree for bringing “versatility” to his game.
“He liked the fact I could have played multiple positions,” Henry said.
“I think it might have been due to having some injuries that they wanted me to go down back.
“So I just tried to learn all the systems … I think they made it a bit more of a focus coming into my second year to try and be a backman.”
Henry said champion defender Matthew Scarlett also had a profound influence.
“It’s pretty surreal having Scarlo as my coach now,” Henry said.
“Just being able to pick his brain, you learn so much off him and he’s such an intelligent footballer.”
After 18 disposals and 11 marks, Henry said he was growing in confidence.
“(There are) lots of little learning things I get each week that I try and build on and bring to my game,” he said. “I think having a good early start — taking my first mark or whatever — definitely helps as well.”