Cats ‘save Selwood from himself’

GEELONG has held its nerve and kept Joel Selwood back from selection, despite the captain’s determination to play.

Selwood will spend his second match on the sidelines as he deals with a knee complaint.

The veteran has been running well at training, but was not named for Friday night’s clash with the Western Bulldogs. Geelong wants to ensure he is in peak fitness for finals.

He did not play last Sunday’s match against Adelaide.

Cats coach Chris Scott hinted that Selwood had pushed his case to play, but selectors wanted to keep his body fresh.

“If we simply left it up to the player, they would be out there every week and they would do themselves a disservice I think,” Scott said.

“There is an element of saving Joel from himself – there is no doubt about that.

“But having said that, I think he has shifted a little bit himself from where he was a couple of years ago where he just felt that for the team to play well he just needed to be leading the way, whether he is fit or not.

“We’re at the stage of the season and he is at the stage of his career to be frank as a 32year-old where he should be only playing when he is close to 100 per cent.”

But the skipper himself held a different view when he told the To The Final Bell podcast he would have final say about playing.

“To be honest, it will probably come down to my decision more than the medical team’s,” Selwood said.

“I will play if I feel like I am ready and right to go.”

Scott said experience had taught the Cats to be cautious with its older stars.

Scott said the Cats should have held Selwood and Gary Ablett out of more football on the run to last year’s finals.

“I think in retrospect with Joel and Gary Ablett as well, we would have liked our chance again and may have played them a little bit less, but retrospect helps your decision making,” Scott said.