Jack Martin to make club debut for Geelong against Gold Coast as Chris Scott said there was validation in their management of the injury-prone recruit

Jack Martin arrived at Kardinia Park looking to put a injury-plagued career behind him. Now, with a club debut locked in against his former club, coach Chris Scott goes inside Martin’s rise back to the top.

The Cats have built recruit Jack Martin up in the first half of the season. Picture: Mark Wilson

Geelong coach Chris Scott believes injury-riddled recruit Jack Martin has been given every chance to succeed in his first AFL appearance in close to 10 months.

One of two changes to take on Gold Coast Suns at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday, alongside returning captain Patrick Dangerfield, Martin will come straight into the Cats’ starting 22 on club debut, Scott confirmed.

It will be Martin’s first AFL game since round 23 last year, the ex-Carlton forward only managing three games at the Blues in 2024, plagued with calf and hamstring issues.

Geelong has long been hopeful its performance team could help Martin overcome the soft-tissue injuries which has plagued his career so far since, with Scott pleased the 30-year-0ld was now at the stage of returning to AFL level.

“It is validation for everyone he’s got to this point, but anything can happen from here,” Scott said.

“But we’re really confident he’s been given every chance to succeed and play well.

“It’s moved way beyond ‘get out there and not get injured sort of thing’, it’s much more about performance now.

“But that’s what I think what’s got us all on our toes, watching him at training in particular because, the whole competition knows there is something special in there, he just hasn’t been afforded the opportunity to show it regularly.”

Jack Martin attacks the ball under pressure from Jeremy Cameron at Cats training. Picture: Alison Wynd

Kicking 133 goals in 151 appearances across 11 seasons at Gold Coast Suns and Carlton, Martin made the move to the Cattery in late October as a delisted free agent in a bid to put those soft-tissue injuries behind him.

“He came in with a really good understanding of his body and what he needed,” Scott said.

“It was clear to us, it was going to require an individual program, and we understand as well as anyone, it can be very, very difficult within a program where you have 45 players to have everyone on a strictly individual plan, but we did prioritise him because we (performance team) were so confident that would be required if we were going to bring him in.”

Jack Martin has appeared in a handful of VFL pre-season and home-and-away matches for Cats. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Carefully managed in pre-season and the first half of the season, Martin initially got through a half in two pre-season reserves practice matches finally making his regular season return to the state league a fortnight ago.

With increased minutes last round, Martin tallied 22 disposals at 86 per cent efficiency in defence, with Scott reaffirming Geelong’s commitment in seeing Martin as more than a one-year prospect.

“He’s only played the two games in the VFL but he’s trained really well, before that, and has earned his spot in the team,” he said.

“It’s fair to say everyone’s excited to see what he can do.”

Martin’s return to the AFL stage coincided with a top 8 blockbuster against his former club Gold Coast, though Scott hesitated to say Martin saw the fixture as anything other than a return to high-stakes footy.

“He was pretty forthright that he felt he was ready to play and looking forward to the challenge,” Scott said.

“I sort of interpreted it more as the challenge of playing a genuine top 4 team, rather than his old team, I think it was a fair while ago.”

Meanwhile, Scott said the Cats didn’t think of holding Dangerfield back another week as an added precaution, adding their captain’s two-game lay-off with a hamstring complaint was “right on the minor end” compared to his previous setbacks.

“I think the assessment would be, last week was the extra week,” he said.

“He’s trained really well for a few weeks.”

Young Henry managed against Suns

He hasn’t managed to hit the heights of his early 2024 form, but Geelong are firm in its belief young forward Ollie Henry isn’t playing poorly.

Oliver Henry warms up ahead of the Cats’ game against West Coast in round 12. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Henry has been managed out of the Cats’ side against Gold Coast, with coach Chris Scott looking toward a strong second half of the season for the 22-year-old.

Henry’s first half of the 2025 season has arguably paled in comparison to last year’s blistering start – where he kicked 21 goal in his first 10 games.

In 12 games this year, he’s averaged a goal a game, including a season-best three in round 1, while averaging 7.8 touches and 2.5 marks.

“He set a really high bar for himself, and it can also be difficult in the forward line as well,” Scott said.

“He probably just hasn’t hit the heights consistently that he did, say last year.”

Among a forward line stacked with firepower in captain Patrick Dangerfield, Jeremy Cameron, and Tyson Stengle to name a few, Scott said there was a genuine question around cohesion, though backed the Cats to continually shift their inside 50 mix as it looks to evolve in the latter stages of Dangerfield and Cameron’s careers.

“Ollie will certainly be a part of that,” he said.

Originally published as Jack Martin to make club debut for Geelong against Gold Coast as Chris Scott said there was validation in their management of the injury-prone recruit