SKIPPER’S GOT YOUR BACK
GEELONG coach Chris Scott has hinted skipper Joel Selwood could spend more time in defence against Richmond tomorrow night as the Cats attempt to fill the gap left by Tom Stewart.
Stewart, who injured his ankle in last week’s win over Brisbane Lions, will be given “every chance” to play in the MCG blockbuster, but Scott has all but conceded the key Cat will miss.
He said Mark O’Connor and Zach Guthrie were leading the race to replace Stewart if the Cats decided to bring in a defender.
However there are a number of other options, including ruckman Ryan Abbott, forwards James Parsons and Jamaine Jones, and running players Jackson Thurlow and Jordan Murdoch.
Selwood spent 34 per cent of his game time against the Lions in Geelong’s defence — the third highest of his career. It was also the most he has played down back since Round 19, 2011. The majority of that time came after Stewart went off injured. Selwood also took a team-high four kickins. Scott said the experiment could continue.
“I suspect we’ll have a few (options) game day that we shift to,” he said.
“It’s been observed that we’ve played Joel Selwood back a little bit, and that’s definitely an option.”
“So it will look a little bit different, but our backline has looked different at times this year and still been able to function OK,” Scott said.
“Tom’s been a really good player, and we’d prefer to have him, but every team has issues with players being out of the team that they would prefer to be inside.”
He said the club expected Selwood had many years left in him playing his inside role, but Geelong’s increased midfield depth meant it could look at him in other positions.
“He is not more likely to play back than he is to play forward if he is not in the middle,” Scott said.
“Really, it’s not complicated with Joel. You’ve got a really, really good player that is great in the contest.
“I suspect that if you put him anywhere then he will do a good job. There’s a little bit of a nod to the future, thinking, ‘is this an option for us?’.
“His primary role, even very late into his career, I suspect, will be an inside midfielder. He has got the capacity to play in other spots as well.”
While Scott says Stewart will be pushing his case to play against the Tigers, the club will not be taking risks with one of its main defensive assets.
“He is very unlikely. I appreciate his optimism, but the feedback to me is he is unlikely,” he said.
“We will give him every chance. But I think the moral of the story is that what looked like a very, very serious injury isn’t so much.
“It appears as if he will get back this year, which is not the impression we had when he first hurt himself.
“The medical staff are optimistic he will be back at some point. Really, until he starts, not even running, it’s until he starts changing direction and getting some more football type movement, it’s a bit hard to say (when he will be back).
“It’s more a matter of weeks as opposed to months.”