All that glitters about Paul Chapman’s AFL career does not give the Geelong star a “golden ticket” back into the senior team.
Cats coach Chris Scott has made it clear that one of the AFL’s best big-occasion players is having to earn his recall.
Injury trouble has kept Chapman out of the senior team since round four, but he showed strong form last weekend in his third VFL match.
Scott said on Tuesday that Chapman was among eight or nine players trying to force their way into the senior team with the finals less than a fortnight away.
“We’ll make a really considered decision around when he’s ready to play and how he’ll help the team,” Scott said.
“As with all the players in our team, no-one has a golden ticket.”
Geelong will host Sydney at Simonds Stadium in Saturday’s blockbuster, with the two teams trying to secure a top-two finish and home ground advantage for the opening week of the finals.
After missing the away win over West Coast, key forward Tom Hawkins appears a strong chance to return for the Swans clash.
Hawkins is managing an ongoing back injury.
“The early indications are really positive, but as we’ve said a number of times, we won’t take a short-term approach with Tom,” Scott said.
“Obviously towards the end of the season, the timeframe is getting shorter, but him playing this week isn’t as important as where he is in three or four weeks’ time.”
Scott said Hawkins’ injury was more complicated than just a bulging disc.
“Suffice to say, it’s something he’s been able to play with all year,” Scott said.
“In the context of what AFL players play through, it’s actually not that significant.
“It’s clearly inhibiting him, but it was never something that our staff were worried about longer-term.
“They were confident he actually would be better by continuing to play.”
But the Cats have conceded that Hamish McIntosh will not play in the AFL this season.
They recruited him from North Melbourne to bolster their rucks, but injuries have kept him out of the senior team.
Scott said it was now up to McIntosh to bounce back.
“Whether it’s fair or not, Hamish now has a responsibility to do everything he possibly can to get himself right, so he can contribute through the pre-season and next year.
“The club has made a big investment in him, we still stand by that investment.
“But through no fault of his own, Hamish has to come back and do something extraordinary for the next couple of seasons.
“It was just a situation where he ran out of time.”
Fellow ruckman Dawson Simpson is also unlikely to play in the senior team again this season as he recovers from a knee injury.
“We haven’t absolutely ruled it out, but it would be very unlikely that Dawson would be available,” Scott said.