AFL 2024: Geelong coach Chris Scott confident emerging midfielder Tanner Bruhn will face Adelaide

Tanner Bruhn had been listed as a test for Geelong’s important clash with Adelaide. Cats coach Chris Scott has provided further clarity.

Tanner Bruhn is in doubt. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Geelong coach Chris Scott is “very confident” Tanner Bruhn will be passed fit to face Adelaide on Friday night despite requiring further assessment on his injured foot.

Bruhn came off the ground in the opening quarter of his side’s win over St Kilda but returned in the second term to have a major impact for his side.

The 21-year-old flourished for the remaining three quarters appearing unaffected by the blow, finishing with 20 disposals, a team-high eight tackles and six clearances in his 50th game.

Cats assistant football boss Brett Johnson confirmed on Tuesday night that Bruhn will be assessed after sustaining “low-level” foot sprain, while Jack Bowes was ruled out as he continues to recover from corked calf.

But Scott is expecting Bruhn to ready to go.

Chris Scott expects Tanner Bruhn to face the Crows. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

“I’m actually very confident that he will play. But with like a lot of these injuries, it’s not something I get into the weeds on,” Scott said.

“I tend to get that final decision from the decision-makers, and it’s rarely me when it comes to the injury one.

“He will be given the green light to play or if he is definitely out, we won’t take him at all.

“I know we’ve sort of said he’s a test, what I think you should read into that is we need just need to triple check he is okay.”

Scott said there was unlikely to be many changes to Geelong’s side coming off their win over St Kilda.

But Scott said Shaun Mannagh, who made his debut as the substitute, is “definitely in the mix” for a spot in the 22 after a late cameo against the Saints.

It comes as a trio of young guns will be sidelined with injury.

Draftee George Stevens suffered low-grade sprains to both his left ankle and medial ligament in Geelong’s VFL practice match against Sandringham and will be sidelined for 2-3 weeks.

And the news is worse for developing ruck prospects Mitch Edwards and Joe Furphy who will both miss at least six weeks, with the club opting for cautious approach.

Second-round pick Edwards has a stress response in his back, while Furphy has been dealing with an ankle issue.

Geelong premiership players Cameron Guthrie (5-7 weeks) and Gary Rohan (3-5 weeks) remain on track with their injury timelines.

“Jack (Bowes) has been hampered by a really heavy lower-leg contusion (corky) that he got in training,” Johnson said.

“We just want to make sure with Jack that we just re-establish his training loads over the course of this week, and we expect him to be available for selection for Round 3 play against the Crows.

“Joe, unfortunately, had an ankle issue over the course of pre-season, which has slowed him down a bit, so it’s important with his first year in the program that we get a good training base under him so he can perform when he’s ready to start playing. We anticipate that he’s still six weeks away from playing.

“Mitch Edwards is similar, he’s a young guy who has had a bit of a stress response in his lower back – again, just adapting to AFL training loads.

“We’re going to be really cautious with Mitch and progress his loads over the next six weeks, and at that point, we’ll reassess where he’s at in terms of his readiness to play.”

Originally published as AFL 2024: Geelong coach Chris Scott confident emerging midfielder Tanner Bruhn will face Adelaide