Geelong coach Chris Scott has stated the club won't look to give veteran Mitch Duncan games in the hope of having the two-time premiership Cat reach his 300-game milestone with the club.
Duncan, who sits on 296 games in the hoops across a stellar 16-year career, is yet to feature at AFL level this year due to a selection squeeze at Kardinia Park.
The 33-year-old played 22 games under Scott last year, ending the season as the sub in Geelong's preliminary final loss to Brisbane before inking a one-year contract extension with the club.
Duncan has played three games in the VFL to start 2025, averaging 22.7 disposals and 8.0 marks per game to make his case for a recall.
The form of others in Geelong's senior side, which sits as one of the favoured teams in this year's premiership race, has meant Duncan's chances of becoming the seventh Cat to play 300 games for the club have taken a hit.
Quizzed on whether Duncan might get a look at senior level as he sits near the milestone, his coach said he expects the versatile veteran to eventually make his way back, but won't do so at the cost of selection integrity.
"We didn't keep him on the list so that we could get him to 300 (games)," Scott told media on Saturday.
"We've got bigger priorities than individual milestones. They're nice when they come along, and if it can happen we'll all celebrate it rightly.
"Maybe I'm a little bit different to most. I've loved working with Mitch, but 296 games versus 300 is not the deciding factor in the way I think about him.
"I'm very, very optimistic he'll get there. He is going well too, we've got pretty good availability.
"Timing is so important; sometimes you lose players all in one spot and you've got an embarrassment of riches in another part of the ground. That's a little bit of where we are at the moment.
"Mitch will come in at some stage soon."
Duncan's ex-teammates Tom Hawkins, Joel Selwood, Corey Enright and Jimmy Bartel are among the 300-game club at the Cattery, with club greats Ian Nankervis and Sam Newman the others.
The Western Australian was drafted to Geelong following their 2009 premiership-winning season as the 28th overall pick, with Duncan making his debut the following year and playing a part in Scott's maiden flag as coach in 2011.
Incumbent Cat Mark Blicavs is also in reaching distance of the 300-game mark, sitting 25 games off the milestone. The off-contract utility will need to re-sign with Geelong to lock in his chances of joining the small group of club icons.
