Geelong Cats: Chris Scott optimistic on Lachie Henderson availability
GEELONG is optimistic that star defender Lachie Henderson will be available for Friday’s blockbuster qualifying final against Hawthorn.
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GEELONG is optimistic that star defender Lachie Henderson will be available for Friday’s blockbuster qualifying final against Hawthorn.
However coach Chris Scott stopped short of saying Henderson was a certainty, insisting that if the former Brisbane and Carlton big man is not right that there would be no point in rushing him back too soon.
“The signs are looking good, we’re optimistic and there is still a little bit of time so we’ll give him every chance,” Scott said.
“But I’ve said publicly already that we don’t have any real interest in putting him out there unless we’re absolutely certain he can perform.
“We’re pretty confident that we’ve got good options to replace him, so at this early stage in a finals series it would be crazy to go in wondering if he’s OK.
“We generally don’t do that anyway so for a really big game like this when we have pretty good replacements. If he plays you can be certain that he’s ready.”
Henderson is not the only player who missed Geelong’s Round 23 game against Melbourne putting their hand up for selection, with Scott Selwood a likely inclusion to play a stopping role on Sam Mitchell.
Nakia Cockatoo, Shane Kersten and Darcy Lang all played in the Cats’ VFL loss to Essendon on Saturday and are doing all they can to earn a senior recall. Scott said he was prepared to make any necessary alterations as Geelong enters its first finals series since 2014.
“We don’t think it will lead to any great instability,” he said.
“We’ve made changes regularly not only this year but in previous seasons as well and I don’t think that’s been a negative for us, in fact we think that while it’s a headache and they make for some challenging conversations at match committee, for the benefit of the club and the team it’s a good problem to have lots of options.”
Originally published as Geelong Cats: Chris Scott optimistic on Lachie Henderson availability
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