KEY CATS IN THE FRAME TO TACKLE HAWKS
JAKE Kolodjashnij and Brandan Parfitt will be available for selection in 11 days’ time and shape as two possible inclusions for the AFL resumption.
Kolodjashnij completed a full training session on Friday after undergoing hip surgery in January.
Parfitt missed the seasonopener against GWS in March but will also be in contention when the Round 2 side is named next week.
The shutdown has been a silver lining for Kolodjashnij, who was set to miss the opening rounds because of injury.
Instead, he may only miss one game.
Geelong assistant coach Matthew Knights said the two would “absolutely” come under selection considerations.
“Starting with Jake, he did an entire session (on Friday), including the conditioning,” Knights said.
“(He) got through it wonderfully well. He was involved in full contact, so that was fine.
“Brandan did all the session as well, he’s completed 100 per cent of the load in the first two weeks. Both of those players will be pushing pretty hard for selection.
“(We’re) extremely pleased with those two lads that they’re right to go for the start of the season.”
Geelong will restart its 2020 campaign against Hawthorn under lights at GMHBA Stadium on June 12 in a favourable run of matches, which includes three of the next four at home.
Jack Steven and Nakia Cockatoo may be the only two players missing from the Cats’ best 22.
Knights said the coaching panel had been pleased with how the playing group had returned to the club.
“They’ve been able to handle the load very well in the first two weeks, which suggests they’ve completed the running sets and football they needed to and the strengthening over the break,” he said.
“I dare say if a lot of them hadn’t done that, we would have had more casualties.
“The fact we’ve had two weeks of quality training without any casualties has been a real plus up to this point.”