Geelong will be without captain Joel Selwood for a second-straight AFL game, missing Friday night’s clash with the Western Bulldogs at Metricon Stadium.
Selwood missed Sunday’s win over Adelaide as he manages an ongoing knee issue and Geelong coach Chris Scott said the 32-year-old was likely to be held back again this week.
“I don’t think (he’ll play) – we’ll give him a chance to play, we’ll give him the chance to train today and see how he goes and keep an open mind, but I think it’s unlikely,” Scott told reporters.
“We’ve been through the situation with Joel in the past – in particular last year – where we probably left the decision to play up to him a little bit too much and he’d have played with no arms and legs if you left it completely up to him.
“It’s just not the right thing for us in our opinion to play him when he’s less than 100 per cent.”
The Cats are confident Selwood’s knee injury is “minor” but weren’t willing to play him unless he was fully fit.
Friday’s game is the fourth Selwood will miss this year, having also been sidelined for rounds eight and nine with a hamstring injury.
Scott expected Jack Steven to back up after copping a knock to the knee against the Crows, while Zach Tuohy and Harry Taylor are likely to return.
Josh Jenkins, Quinton Narkle and injury-prone livewire Nakia Cockatoo are among those who will push their cases in a scratch match on Saturday.
The Bulldogs have bounced back to form with wins over Adelaide and Melbourne and Scott was wary of their ability to quickly break games open – as they did in the third quarter against the Demons.
“We have great respect for the way they have played over the course of the season, particularly the last couple of weeks,” he said.
“They’ve got a bit of personnel back into their team and their midfield’s looking really, really strong.
“But it’s not just that that patch against Melbourne – the pattern of their good footy has been quite plain to see.
“They’re a fast ball-moving team, they’re really dangerous when they get the game on their terms.
“And it’s hard to arrest that because generally it starts around the source and in the midfield and to a man they’ve got stars right through their midfield.”