Golden Square’s Jack Geary named Vic Country captain

GOLDEN Square’s Jack Geary has been unveiled as the new captain of Vic Country but awaits the final tick of approval to guarantee his return from injury.

Jack Geary, pictured (far right) at Vic Country training on Sunday, was last night announced as captain of Vic Country.

GOLDEN Square’s Jack Geary has been unveiled as the new captain of Vic Country but awaits the final tick of approval to guarantee his return from injury.

Vic Country coach Peter Knights announced the appointments of Geary, from the Bendigo league, and Newtown and Chilwell’s Rob Condy, from the Geelong league, as captain and vice-captain last night after training.

All squad members were also presented with their Big V jumpers ahead of Sunday’s clash with Vic Metro in the AFL Victoria Community Cup as the final team remained unconfirmed.

Geary, a multiple premiership winner with Golden Square, is a former Vic Country under-19 captain and was part of the Vic Country side in 2014.

He missed out on selection last year when he did not recover in time from a biceps injury sustained during Bendigo’s interleague match.

The 25-year-old has not played since June 25, when he was knocked out playing against Gisborne, but took part in Vic Country’s training sessions on Sunday and yesterday.

The session yesterday included competitive work and Knights said team doctor Rohan Molenaar had already seen Geary this morning and given a positive report.

“(Molenaar) wants to give Jack at least 24 hours after his first competitive session since the injury — they have a series of steps they go through over a period of time, little boxes that are ticked along the way,” Knights said.

“The next step is they just need to give that 24 hours, so I would say this time tomorrow morning, I reckon we’re 95 per cent there but we can’t just categorically (say).”

In naming a captain yet to be declared fit, Knights said it was a factor that was considered but the group had been confident Geary would be able to play.

“We would’ve normally announced that a week earlier ... but we wanted to at least see how he got on after last Sunday’s training,” Knights said.

“Then I didn’t even speak to Jack until Tuesday night, and congratulated him then on our appointment, and said, ‘We understand that you’re about 95 per cent across the line, but we felt this is what we need to tell you at the moment to give you time to prepare’.

“We did consider not making that announcement and we also considered maybe let’s take the pressure off Jack and look at a couple of others who are well-credentialed to be captains as well, but that’s the way we went and hopefully we’ve made the right call.”

Geary himself was last night confident he would play, saying, “I’m ready to go”.

He said becoming Vic Country captain was “not even something you imagine”.

“Two years ago was the first time I actually captained the Bendigo interleague side and then I was lucky enough to play (for Vic Country),” he said.

“You could’ve knocked me down with a feather when I was playing in it, let alone two years down the track actually being the captain.”

Geary said there was “unfinished business” against Vic Metro, which won the AFL Victoria Community Cup in 2014 by 38 points.

The city side this year will be coached by Brian Royal, a former AFL assistant coach and Western Bulldogs Team of the Century rover.

The venue for Sunday’s matches between Vic Country and VAFA under-19s and the Vic Country and Vic Metro has also been changed.

Due to a flow-on effect from a venue change in the VFL, the matches have been moved from Preston City Oval to Mernda’s Waterview Reserve.