Stars back to strengthen high-flying Cats

GEELONG will welcome back stars Eamonn Vines and Brenton McDonald for tomorrow’s top-four clash against Carlton.

Vines returns after carrying the drinks for Victoria’s Sheffield Shield team in Tasmania, while leg-spinner McDonald has overcome a groin injury.

Leg-spinner Joel Blain, who claimed 3-85 in the 119-run win over Essendon, has been omitted alongside Tom Treble.

Without Vines and McDonald, the Cats cruised to victory in Round 6 on the back of centuries from Mitch Reid and Hayden Butterworth.

Reid and Butterworth cracked a record-breaking 262-run partnership in Geelong’s total of 395 before the bowlers cleaned the Bombers up for 286.

Cats coach Liam Buchanan said the victory over the previously second-placed Essendon pointed to the strength of Geelong’s squad.

“I think we’ve got good depth,” Buchanan said. “It’s good to have those guys (Vines and McDonald) in, but it’s good to test the depth.

“Joel Blain came in and took three wickets and showed some good signs and Mitch Reid came up (from the seconds) and made a big hundred.

“Players are getting an opportunity and it shows we’ve got good depth.

“I don’t think we’ll rely on any two players this year. Both with bat and ball, there’s five or six guys who can do the job. We’ve got a really wellbalanced side.”

Sitting fourth on the ladder and within striking distance of top place, the Cats can set up their season with another strong performance this week.

But Buchanan insists his team is not focused on anything else but Carlton.

“I believe we’re a good side and we don’t take much notice of ladders and wins and losses,” he said.

“We concentrate each week on our own game, and our game — even at 80 per cent — is better than most of the competition. We’re concentrating on what we do well, put processes in place and if we carry them out even at 80 per cent we’ll beat most sides.”

Entrenched in the top eight and with only a loss to current ladder-leader St Kilda, the Cats are flying. But Buchanan said he would resist the urge reassess team goals.

“Internally, we want to play finals but I’m not a big goal setter,” he said. “When you set goals sometimes you can limit yourself on what’s achievable.”