Speculation on the injury status of Rhys Stanley has proven to be on the mark, with the veteran Geelong ruckman to miss tomorrow night’s qualifying final against the Brisbane Lions at the MCG.
The 34-year-old, who played 18 games during the home-and-away season, will be sidelined with a hamstring issue.
The Cats settled three changes, with Shannon Neale (suspension) and Mark O’Connor (leg) returning after missing the Round 24 win over Richmond.
Jhye Clark is the surprise inclusion, recalled for just his eighth appearance of the season, and just his second since Round 9.
It will be the Queenscliff product’s first final.
Mitch Knevitt and Jed Bews have been omitted.
The Lions will welcome back two-time Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale and fellow midfielder Jarrod Berry at the expense of Bruce Reville and Kai Lohmann.
K rock is live from 6pm via FM 95.5, FM 88.0 at the MCG, krockfootball.live, and the AFL app.
X: @krockfootball
GEELONG
INS: J. Clark, S. Neale, M. O’Connor
OUTS: R. Stanley (hamstring), J. Bews, M. Knevitt
FB: [39] Zach Guthrie, [38] Jack Henry, [14] Connor O’Sullivan
HB: [17] Lawson Humphries, [44] Tom Stewart, [34] Oisin Mullin
C: [46] Mark Blicavs, [9] Max Holmes, [28] Oliver Dempsey
HF: [45] Brad Close, [7] Shaun Mannagh, [18] Tyson Stengle
FF: [33] Shannon Neale, [5] Jeremy Cameron, [35] Patrick Dangerfield
FOL: [16] Sam De Koning, [3] Bailey Smith, [30] Tom Atkins
IC: [42] Mark O’Connor, [32] Gryan Miers, [13] Jhye Clark, [12] Jack Bowes, [19] Jack Martin
EMG: [24] Jed Bews, [10] Mitch Knevitt, [36] Oliver Henry
