A tough call, but some don’t cut it
FRIDAY CHINWAG
Mid-year Cats chat with NICK WADE, LACHIE YOUNG and RYAN REYNOLDS NICK WADE: I’ve just had a look at the best Geelong team we posed in November last year. Mark Blicavs, bench. Probably spoke to the lack of certainty about where he fitted in? Clearly he was in the Cats’ best team, but without a position. I think it’s now safe to say the opening half of the season has finally given him a genuine identity as a defender.
RYAN REYNOLDS: And Blicavs would probably be one of the first players down on the team sheet now. He and Tom Stewart are both AllAustralian contenders come the end of the season and are key cogs in a tight defence. I did notice, however, that Lachie has left Lachie Henderson out. Big call!
LACHIE YOUNG: Reckon he has to do a little more just yet and I don’t believe you should fix what isn’t broken. Could only find room for one of Taylor or Henderson because right now, Jack Henry should not be dropped. People saying that he is yet to prove himself on the big stage need to remember that he hasn’t been there yet, so we don’t know how he will respond. Has ticked every box in his first full year and has to keep his spot.
NW: Lachie, please explain the Quinton Narkle call. I know you rightfully called for his AFL debut in Monday’s Addy (he looks ready to go) and now the rest of the footy world has caught on, but has he really gone past Gregson, Fogarty and McCarthy …?
LY: Feel for Fogarty because he hasn’t done much wrong, and poor Linc just can’t stay on the park at the moment. Gregson was close, but I have seen enough of Narkle to believe he could provide the spark that has been missing in Geelong’s forward line. He is so much more than a goalkicker, too. He is someone who loves a contest, is hard at the ball and the man, has pace to burn and applies pressure when he doesn’t have the footy. He thinks deeply about the game and he is exactly what the Cats need.
RR: His past two weeks certainly show that he deserves his crack as soon as the Cats return from the break. But I can’t have him in my best team without seeing him at AFL level. It’s a pretty bold call from you Lach. Have you settled on Rhys Stanley as your No.1 ruck or is that position still up for grabs?
LY: Believe the Cats will have a look at Ryan Abbott soon and Zac Smith may yet come back and be refreshed after a spell, which would be very handy, but Stanley is working into some nice form. Love what Smith brings at his best but we haven’t seen enough of it unfortunately. The big query is how Stanley stacks up against Gawn and Grundy and these types of players, but it is good to see him playing well.
NW: Where does Scott Lycett fit into the side next year?
RR: Always tough to break into a premiership side, Nick! But, seriously, he’d be a handy signature. Would be great to see Lycett and Esava in the middle of the ground in 2019.
LY: There has been talk of bringing in a ruckman, which could help fix some of the issues Geelong is having with clearances, but I reckon Scott Selwood could help in that area as well. The Cats are 10th when it comes to pressure applied in games and I think Scooter can help turn that around. He has a mindset of defence first and he is prepared to sacrifice his own game for the good of the side.
NW: Scott Selwood is one of the Cats’ most important players for that reason. Of all the players Geelong needs to get back into the side come finals, it’s him. Put him in the guts, send him straight to the opposition’s best player and let Ablett and Dangerfield rotate deep forward.
RR: It’s going to be a fascinating finish to the season. I’m looking forward to Lachie’s “I told ya so” when Narkle is banging home goals in a preliminary final on the ’G.