Geelong coach Chris Scott on selection dilemmas as Bailey Smith returns, Ollie Henry set to play first VFL game in hoops
Geelong is undergoing a selection ‘juggling act’ which will see a Cats forward play his first game in the VFL in hoops. Plus, the wash up of Bazlenka’s fireside chat with AFL CEO.
Geelong
Don't miss out on the headlines from Geelong. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Geelong coach Chris Scott recalls a time last season the Cats felt they hadn’t nailed the right balance around selection.
But despite taking lessons out of that time, the premiership coach conceded “it didn’t make it easier” when juggling his team’s current selection squeeze.
In their one change to take on Essendon at the MCG on Saturday afternoon, Bailey Smith returns in favour of Ted Clohesy, after the former Dog was a late out against Gold Coast last week, while forward Shannon Neale has held his spot, albeit named on the bench, despite being subbed out against the Suns with an ankle injury.
Despite the Cats’ tendency of pulling late outs, Scott – who will celebrate an unique milestone when he and twin brother Brad face off in what is a combined 1000 AFL games as a coach and player – confirmed Friday Smith would run out against the Bombers.
“Last week we were confident he’d play (against Essendon),” Scott said.
“He’s ticked every box this week.”
The selection squeeze has seen Ollie Henry unable to break back into the Cats’ side after he was managed last round, the forward now set to play his first-ever VFL game for the club on Saturday against reigning premiers Werribee.
Midfielder Jack Bowes, who was a test this week with his hamstring, won't yet return via either the AFL and VFL.
With the Cats firmly in the top 4, several players who have featured at AFL level this year have found themselves back on the outer heading into round 14 and forced to bide their time in the state league.
Alongside Clohesy, midfielders Mitch Knevitt and Jhye Clark, as well as premiership defender Jed Bews and forward Oli Wiltshire will line up against the Bees.
Meanwhile uncapped Cat George Stevens, who had been named an AFL emergency on several occasions, is yet to break into the team, while recent draftee Jay Polkinghorne has shown good signs but is another yet to debut.
“We have put a bit of thought into the probability we’d get a bit of a squeeze in this part of the year,” Scott said.
“We still have one or two we’re confident will come back into our team, (defender Jake) Kolodjashnij is the one that springs to mind that will come back as well.
“It is going to be a little bit of a juggle, and when I say we’ve put a lot of thought into it, it’s not necessarily that we’ve come up with great answers.
“It reinforces to us that we do need to manage our list, which has been our way for a long time.”
The Cats found themselves with a similar selection dilemma throughout last season on their way to a preliminary final, Bews biding his time in the VFL before breaking back into the team before finals, while Shaun Mannagh had to return to the VFL for a portion of the season.
Connor O’Sullivan spent much of this first year at the Cats in the twos, before making his way back into the AFL side this year and cementing his spot down back.
Scott said the Cats, in his 15 years at the helm, had always tried to be thoughtful about giving opportunity to young players coming through, but added “we don’t necessarily nail it”.
“We reflected on a period we had (last year) where we didn’t think we nailed that balance of managing our list, giving opportunity to young players while also maintaining continuity,” Scott said.
“We think we learned a few lessons there, but it doesn’t necessarily make it easier.”
Scott sheds more light on fireside chat
Geelong coach Chris Scott believes star Bailey Smith walked away from last week’s fireside chat with AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon with a better feeling of support and the value he brings to the game by the league itself.
Scott said the meeting, which included Scott himself and Cats football boss Andrew Mackie and CEO Steve Hocking, was “low-key and casual”.
Scott also reiterated it was “not three or four people speaking at Bailey” but rather the midfielder “doing most of the talking”.
“As a club we certainly appreciated the fact that he (Dillon) reached out, he’s got a pretty close relationship with Steve Hocking as well,” Scott said.
“My understanding was that any conversation that came up (was) maybe it was good to catch up face-to-face at some point, and from that suggestion we took him up on that, and Bailey was really keen for it.
“Again, it was a pretty lowkey conversation and the takeaways would have been Bailey has a really good feel he has a lot of people supporting him, I think he recognised better post that meeting how much the AFL value what he can bring to the game and by extension the AFL themselves.
“(And) it has been reinforced the responsibility he (Smith) has the game as well.”
While Smith has dominated headlines ever since his arrival at the Cattery this season - both for his brilliant on-field form which has him firmly in Brownlow contention and a series of off-field gaffs - Scott said he didn’t get sick about speaking about the star talent.
“We’re loving having him (here)... these things are so minor in my opinion, if you had an 100 unit, this would constitute one,” Scott said of the controversies.
“And the other 99 have been so positive for us, on the field it’s been good fun to have him around the place, players love him, staff love him.
“We’re on our toes, it’s exciting.
“He is unique, but in the most positive sense of the word.”
Originally published as Geelong coach Chris Scott on selection dilemmas as Bailey Smith returns, Ollie Henry set to play first VFL game in hoops
In pictures: Deakin mid-year graduations
Deakin University students from across various faculties are celebrating their graduations throughout this month. See the pictures from Tuesday.
Blood and drama as cops – and mayor – hit city’s party strip
Police leapt into action as a bloody bust-up and sudden collapse unfolded on Geelong’s party strip in the early hours … and the city’s mayor was there to witness it all.