Ryan Abbott set to lead Geelong ruck against Melbourne star Max Gawn

MAX Gawn looms as a large stumbling block in Geelong’s bid to advance beyond Friday night’s elimination final. But there’s another potential bogey standing in coach Chris Scott’s way.

GEELONG is poised to rely on a three-game ruckman and some tinkering with his side’s approach during the week off in its bid to advance beyond past the Max Gawn-inspired Demons in Friday night’s elimination final.

The Cats this week will try to overcome not only the game’s best ruckman, but also a staggering post-bye slump stretching back to 2011.

Ruckman Ryan Abbott looms as the man most likely to square off against Gawn at the MCG on Friday night, coach Chris Scott hopeful the three-game big man can help nullify the star’s dominance.

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“If he (Abbott) plays we expect what we’ve got the last couple of weeks, which is a really good genuine contest,” Scott said.

“He’s different to the other ruck options we’ve used this year in that he’s mobile — the other guys are pretty mobile as well — but he has some tricks with his ruck craft.

Chris Scott says Ryan Abbott is not your usual ruckman. Pic: AAP

‘Monster’ Max Gawn will lead the Dees’ engine room. Pic: Getty Images

“He’s not a straight up and down ruckman. He’ll present something different at most stoppages for the opposition ruckman.”

Abbott only made his AFL debut against Richmond in Round 20, and after fellow big man Rhys Stanley re-injured a calf the following week, was reinstated as the Cats’ no.1 ruck option.

Stanley remains a chance to prove his fitness this week — Scott saying the Cats may have a decision to make if he impresses at training — before saying “the odds are probably against him.”

Abbott impressed with his physicality over the final two rounds, the 27-year-old now firming to get the job of trying to curtail Gawn’s influence.

“We’re certainly not putting pressure on Ryan to slaughter Max Gawn in the ruck. We expect that he won’t get his hand to the ball as much as Max, but he can challenge him in other ways.”

Geelong's Esava Ratugolea is an outside chance to face the Dees. Pic: Michael Klein

Chris Scott and Joel Selwood say Gary Ablett is excited about his return to the finals. Pic: Getty Images

While Gawn looms large in the Cats’ planning for Melbourne, so too does ensuring his team is ready to fire. Geelong’s record after a week off is not flattering — the Cats losing their past seven games after the mid-season break — as well as last year’s qualifying final to the Tigers.

“We’ve had a bit of practice at it,” Scott said of handling the week off.

“I think the bye, pre finals, is a bit different to the mid-season bye. Our approach has been to maybe keep the guys going (physically) a little bit more than we might have otherwise, but it’s only a small tweak.”

Esava Ratugolea and small forward Lincoln McCarthy are closer to AFL football after recent VFL outings and while the coach wouldn’t rule Ratugolea out, the Cats had planned to give the pair more football their injury returns.

Scott said his club boasted “better availability” than at any stage earlier this season.

“I think we’re in better form than any other time this year,” he said.

“We would’ve liked to have qualified higher up the ladder but as it turns out, we could have finished fifth and been in exactly the same situation. So we’re pretty comfortable with where we sit.”

Originally published as Ryan Abbott set to lead Geelong ruck against Melbourne star Max Gawn