Geelong will take as close to a full strength line-up as we’re likely to see for Sunday’s clash with Sydney at the SCG.
Cats coach Chris Scott confirmed captain Patrick Dangerfield and forward Jack Martin will return after being managed out of last Friday’s win over Essendon.
He also told reporters that key defender Jack Henry, who was subbed out of the Bombers clash with hamstring awareness, will be right to take on the Swans despite being an early departure from today’s main training session at GMHBA Stadium.
The return of Dangerfield and Martin could squeeze out Mitch Knevitt and Jhye Clark, who were their respective replacements last week.
Scott also revealed that Cam Guthrie and Mitch Duncan will feature in what is likely to be the last outing of the season for the Cats’ VFL season when they face the Swans on Sunday morning.
“We’re optimistic and open-minded as to what the next few weeks might look like for them,” he said.
“Jake (Kolodjashnij) getting another game in there probably fits in that category as well.”
With Geelong’s VFL team wrapping up their season this weekend, Scott says the club has been working to ensure match practice for those who don’t feature at AFL level in the coming weeks.
“It’s not ideal having a bye going into finals when there’s an AFL bye after that,” he said.
“But, I think there’s a possibility that we’ll get some match practice against another team in that week, which will obviously be helpful.
“And then the training part of it, which we rate really highly as well, I think, gives those guys an opportunity to be available through that period.
“I don’t think it’s a long enough period of time for us to think they just haven’t had enough footy to be considered.
“We would prefer them to have played a little bit more, but most clubs go through these issues towards the end of the year.”
Geelong will announce its squad at 6:20 p.m. tonight, before reducing it to 23 players tomorrow afternoon.
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