GEELONG coach Chris Scott has given a strong indication first-round draftee Jordan Clark will debut in Friday night’s opening round clash with Collingwood.
Clark, who the Cats grabbed with pick No.15 from WAFL club Claremont, impressed in defence in both JLT Series matches, gathering 21 possessions against West Coast and 11 against Essendon.
“I can’t say that he’s a lock, but it would be a brave coaching group not to pick him,” Scott said.
“We’re a brave coaching group, aren’t we?”
“In all seriousness, the only reason we don’t announce it is because there are just other decisions we need to make.
“Players are pretty good at working through the process of elimination when it comes to selection.”
CATS: SETBACK FOR SCOTT
However, whether the likes of mature-age rookie Tom Atkins and second-year duo Charlie Constable and Gryan Miers join Clark in taking on the Pies won’t be known until Thursday.
That also goes for off-season acquisitions Gary Rohan (Sydney) and Luke Dahlhaus (Western Bulldogs).
“We’re not in a position where we’re going to announce any of them, yet, mainly because we haven’t made up our mind exactly what the make-up of our team will be.
“There’s a few younger guys who are well-and-truly in the frame, and a few older guys from other clubs that have certainly put a good case forward.
“There’s a very, very strong likelihood that the team that played our last game last year will be quite different to the team that takes on Collingwood on Friday night.”
One man who won’t be there is defender Zach Tuohy, who has run out of time in his bid to prove he has overcome off-season knee surgery.
It will bring to an end the Irishman’s streak of 138-consecutive games dating back to the start of the 2013 season when he was still at Carlton.
“Zach won’t play; he thinks he could,” Scott said. “I guess if you held a gun to my head, I think he could, too.
“But we just don’t take those risks at this time of the year.
“If we prepared to take those risks, I think he could get out there and do it.
“But, Zach’s someone we’re optimistic can play for a long time for us – he’s got that sort of make-up and and he’s become an important part of our team.
“We’re so etnhusatic about performing well on Friday night, but not so enthisatic we’re going to make stupid decisions.”
Twitter: @tom_king79
Click below to listen to Chris Scott’s media conference.
