Cats release brakes on Tuohy for first outing of season
GEELONG is hopeful Zach Tuohy will only need one VFL hitout before forcing his way back into the Cats’ well-oiled AFL backline.
Tuohy will today suit up for the Cats’ reserves team against Werribee at Avalon Airport Oval after overcoming a knee injury that interrupted his summer training.
It will be the durable Irishman’s first match this season at any level, having negotiated a long rehab from post-season knee surgery last year.
Geelong is confident he will hit the ground running and even considered bringing him straight back in at AFL level against Hawthorn on Easter Monday.
“His preparation has been such that we think the best thing for him will be to play in the VFL,” Geelong coach Chris Scott said yesterday.
“But it was a live possibility that we could have brought him straight back (into the AFL team), so that would indicate that we think it’s going to be a small stint in the VFL, whether it’s one or two (weeks), I don’t really see it being longer than that.”
The 29-year-old played 138 consecutive AFL matches before his streak ended when he was ruled out of Geelong’s Round 1 match against Collingwood.
The Cats will impose no playing restrictions on Tuohy, giving him the freedom to play a full match to press his case for selection in the match against West Coast on Sunday week.
“He will just play,” Scott said. “He’s actually in good aerobic shape. His injury has been one that’s allowed him to do a fair bit of work.
“It was more just making sure that he was ready for intensity, so he’s been able to do quite a bit of sub-maximal work for quite a time.”
Geelong has named a 31man squad for the annual K rock Cup against the Tigers.