Geelong Cats coach Chris Scott has revealed that Patrick Dangerfield's late withdrawal prior to Saturday night's win over St Kilda was a precautionary measure, admitting that the club is facing a selection headache for the final two rounds of the season.
The understrength Cats side, missing Dangerfield, Joel Selwood and Gary Rohan, made light work of the contest against the Saints, running out 45-point winners at home.
Now sitting at the top of the table with just two rounds left to play before finals get underway, Scott has admitted that while the club's depth is invaluable, it does present him and his selection panel with a dilemma heading into Round 21.
โWeโre asking players to stay in the moment and not project too far out,โ Scott said post-game.
โWe understand theyโre human, and theyโre smart and that they look and do the numbers all the time and weโre doing what we can to suggest they donโt do that.
โOften these things have a way of working themselves out, but โฆ the old clichรฉ is thatโs itโs a good problem to have, but itโs one of the worst parts about coaching, just thinking about the guys whoโve given so much who might not get to the line.
โBut you canโt allow yourself to think that way too much because it almost implies weโre assuming weโll go a long way into the finals and weโre not assuming anything.
โItโs good weโve got depth, thereโll be some sad stories, but weโve got bigger fish to fry.โ
Scott also shed some light on Dangerfield, who felt tightness in his calf during the pre-game warm-up. The 32-year-old was replaced by Luke Dahlhaus prior to the first bounce, but Scott is confident the star will be right to take on Gold Coast in Round 22.
โThe feedback Iโve got from him and the medical staff is that heโs fine,โ Scott said.
โHe just felt some awareness (of calf tightness) in the warm-up and I think in the past heโs pushed through these things thinking heโd be fine.
โAnd even if there was a one per cent chance that he might do some damage, he wasnโt prepared to take it.
โSo it seemed a logical call.โ
Geelong currently sit one game clear on top of the ladder, set to face Gold Coast and West Coast to conclude the home and away season.
