Geelong coach Chris Scott provided some insight into his deep level of thinking when discussing how he manages his players amid a staggered start to the new season.
The Cats had a bye in Round 2 due to their participation in Opening Round, returning on Thursday to host Adelaide at GMHBA Stadium before a blockbuster Easter Monday clash with Hawthorn.
Premiership duo Patrick Dangerfield and Brad Close were the only changes to Scott's line-up against the Crows, has plans for their return.
"I think so," Scott said of Dangerfield's returning to face the Hawks.
"That would be my assumption. If you look at our history with him, he will be absolutely cherry-ripe to play his absolute best, and not compromise anything later in the year, or we won't play him.
"If you had to lean one way or another, it's likely that he'd play but without that being a guarantee."
Close was a surprise omission in Geelong's line-up after rarely missing a contest in the past five years.
Scott described it as putting them through a mini pre-season to right a few "niggles" given the 23-day break between their Round 1 outing and the Hawthorn battle, but ensured the Close decision had nothing to do with form despite a very quiet start to the season.
"Very similar to Patrick," the two-time premiership coach said.
"He had some interruptions in the pre-season where he we felt, and a couple of guys in this boat as well, but the draw came out in October, so we were really clear we had some long breaks and a bit of an unusual start to the year.
"That can create some challenges but it can create some opportunities as well.
"We've had a couple of guys just had a few niggles late in the pre-season that we thought, it's rare in the season that you get to really improve those things through your training, and miss one game.
"Closey will get some VFL time, but this was more a 'let's get him back to his best physically, rather than a form thing'. In fact, I'm happy to say it's not a form thing."
