AFL 2023: Patrick Dangerfield says finals hopes are in their hands as Cats hopeful of Tom Hawkins return

Patrick Dangerfield has had his say on the precarious position the Cats find themselves in and has a positive update on two key players ahead of their must-win game.

Patrick Dangerfield. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield says his side’s full focus is on their two must-win games instead of their underwhelming premiership defence that has left their finals hopes on a knife’s edge.

A loss to either St Kilda or the Western Bulldogs in the final two rounds will mean it is season over for the Cats, who sit precariously in 11th spot just two points outside the top eight.

Dangerfield said the club is hopeful Tom Hawkins will return this week with the star goalkicker and Cameron Guthrie both looking “good” training with the main group in the Cats’ light session on Monday.

He believes Guthrie is a chance of being named as the substitute on Saturday — which coach Chris Scott put on the agenda after their loss to Collingwood — for his first competitive game since round six after a long lay-off with a toe injury.

Tom Hawkins has shown good signs on the track. Picture: Getty Images

Dangerfield said the Cats will have clarity later in the week on the availability of Gary Rohan and Rhys Stanley, who both suffered hip injuries against the Pies.

He conceded that persistent injuries and an inability to execute their gamestyle have contributed to their drop-off this season.

But he said their attention is solely on their important next fortnight after Friday night’s loss where he felt they did a lot right.

“It is an even competition, I think a key part of really good performance is consistency and personnel and we have had challenges no doubt throughout the season with that. But our issues extend a bit beyond that as well, we haven’t been able to play our gamestyle for long enough periods,” Dangerfield said.

“I think you’d always prefer it in the palm of your own hands – you’re good enough, you’re good enough.

“There’s no real point thinking about what could have been or the games that were tight that you could have finished off better and won. This is the situation we are in and we’ve got to attack it.

“You don’t defend premierships you win them so, for us it is about focusing on what we can control, (the loss to Collingwood) has passed but there is plenty we can learn from it. But it’s what we do from hereon and how we prepare ourselves to play St Kilda.

“(Hawkins) was out in the session this morning and looked good so we are really hopeful but we will have to wait and see. I think our main session is Wednesday so we will get a good indication on where he is at.

“We certainly won’t take any unnecessary risk because we know how important he is, but all signs are positive at the moment.”

Cameron Guthrie could be back this week as the sub. Picture: Getty Images

Dangerfield said the club will also weigh up the risk of playing Guthrie, which he views as a “significant discussion piece” ahead of their clash against the Saints.

“(Guthrie as the sub) definitely could happen, he looked good, he trained with the main side. He has obviously missed a lot of footy and I dare say that will be one of the things that the coaches will weigh up at the back-end of the week,” Dangerfield said.

“How good he looks, how important a player he is to us. But clearly the continuity of training and how much footy he’s missed. So that will be a significant discussion piece I’m sure and we’ll get greater clarity at the back-end of the week.”

And with tongue firmly in cheek, Dangerfield said he believed Jeremy Cameron’s controversial last-quarter goal was in play.

“(Cameron) is a unique character and he is a new dad as well this year with Indi and it has its challenges, I think certainly when you have a new bubs, but he was phenomenal on the weekend. I thought the ball was in,” he said with a smile.

Originally published as AFL 2023: Patrick Dangerfield says finals hopes are in their hands as Cats hopeful of Tom Hawkins return