AFL 2024: Geelong coach Chris Scott lauds Cats’ increased midfield depth

Geelong is 3-0 to start the season, and coach Chris Scott said one area in particular is encouraging for the Cats faithful.

Tom Atkins was subbed out. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Geelong coach Chris Scott is impressed by the enhanced depth of their midfield group as he clarified there are no injury concerns for vice-captain Tom Stewart or subbed hard nut Tom Atkins.

The Cats’ on-ball brigade was exposed without Cameron Guthrie and retired champion Joel Selwood last season, ranking 16th for clearance differential and 15th for opposition scores from clearance after Guthrie’s toe injury in round six.

Their woes in 2023 were compounded by captain Patrick Dangerfield missing a month with a hamstring injury during the middle of the season and another match with a partially collapsed lung and cracked ribs.

This year Guthrie went down with a long-term quad injury in their first practice match and the Cats managed to upset Adelaide on the road without midfielders Tanner Bruhn and Tom Atkins, along with playmaker Mitch Duncan.

Then with Dangerfield sidelined by a hamstring setback on Monday, the Cats were able to make it three wins in a row off the back of an even contribution across the board, including from their midfielders.

Scott said he was excited to hand Brandan Parfitt an opportunity against the Crows after Atkins’ late withdrawal and the fringe midfielder, who managed just nine senior games last season, has taken it with both hands.

Brandan Parfitt has stepped up to the plate in the last fortnight. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Tom Stewart came off during the match for assessment. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The 25-year-old has led the Cats for tackles in both games, laying 20 in the past fortnight – with 10 of those coming against the Hawks.

Parfitt, who is eligible as a free agent at the end of the year, also got busy on the offensive end with 21 possessions and 10 contested possessions.

After missing the Crows clash with an ankle complaint, Bruhn notched career-highs for disposals (27) and clearances (nine) against the Hawks as he continues to elevate his game.

Highly-touted midfielder Jhye Clark also continues to improve by the week, lifting in the third quarter in particular on his way to 15 disposals, seven tackles and four clearances.

And when Atkins was subbed out for management reasons at three-quarter-time with 11 disposals and eight tackles to his name, substitute Jack Bowes stepped up to the plate with eight disposals and five tackles in a quarter.

It is a promising sign for the Cats as they prepare for a date with the well-stocked engine room of the Western Bulldogs on Saturday night.

“I really like what Brandon brings, and you probably shouldn’t say that as a coach, you shouldn’t talk about your favourite players. But I was pleased to have him in the team and he hasn’t let us down these two weeks,” Scott said.

“He’s had to endure a fair period sort of being out of the team, in spite of playing some good footy and training well for us during the week. So when the chance opened up for him, I was excited and I feel like he’s taken that chance.

“It’s good for, at the very least, the depth of our midfield. Part of the thing that’s pleasing us at the moment is if you look at the last three, four or five years, clearly our best inside midfielders have been Cam Guthrie and Paddy Dangerfield. So them coming out opens up some opportunity for some younger guys or some guys who have been starved of a bit of a go in those inside mid spots. But that as much as anything I think the Cats supporters should be pleased with.”

Tanner Bruhn shoots out a handball. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Scott said they are seeing the fruits of an extended preparation for Clark, who made his debut as the substitute in round nine last year before missing the rest of his first season with a navicular stress reaction.

“We just don’t consider him to be a young player feeling his way … we’re not looking at Jhye thinking ‘he’s going well for a young player’. We just think he’s in our best team at the moment and the progression has been really steep,” Scott said.

Scott said Stewart, who came off briefly during the third quarter after copping an accidentally knee from a Mabior Chol marking attempt, didn’t require a concussion test.

“He was just checked for a neck issue, neck upper back that cleared really quickly. It was a heavy hit, he felt it, but he recovered well,” Scott said.

Originally published as AFL 2024: Geelong coach Chris Scott lauds Cats’ increased midfield depth