Chris Scott Expresses Optimism for Mark Blicavs’ Return
Chris Scott, the coach of Geelong, is hopeful that injured utility player Mark Blicavs will make a quick return as the team looks to bounce back from their recent loss against Port Adelaide. The Cats, currently sitting at 4-3, faced an upset in their last match and suffered another blow when Blicavs sustained a knee injury.
Captain Patrick Dangerfield also had a quiet performance in that game, which has raised some concerns. However, Geelong remains a strong favorite to defeat North Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday.
Geelong has dominated the previous 14 encounters against North Melbourne, including a 101-point victory in their most recent meeting. Scott emphasized that while the team is not focusing on the negative aspects of their last game, they are still committed to improving.
“We’re not at the stage where we’re going to dig ourselves into a bigger hole by focusing on all the things that went wrong (against Port Adelaide) when we don’t think that constitutes a pattern,” Scott said. “But we’ve got to be vigilant.”
He added that it’s important not to overlook the lessons learned from the game. “I don’t think anyone could or should interpret what I’m saying as, ‘Oh, it was just one of those nights and we’ve got to move on’. We’re much more diligent in our review than that, but overall we’re still optimistic around what’s possible for us.”
Blicavs is dealing with lateral ligament damage in his left knee and is currently walking with the joint in a brace. There is no firm timeline for his return, but Scott believes it’s unlikely to be a long-term issue.
“What’s clear is it looks unlikely that it’s a long-term thing,” Scott said. “Then they’re kind of open-minded and thinking about what’s possible over the next couple of weeks. I think that gives you a bit of an idea. But I try not to get too excited about it. You hear it might be much better than we think, and then you set yourself up for disappointment.”
Dangerfield, who has only played three games this season due to a disrupted preparation, had a sub-par performance against Port Adelaide, managing just four disposals. Scott is confident that the 36-year-old can replicate his past performances, where he often starts slowly but makes a significant impact later in the season.
“I don’t think it’s a secret to say that he’s not at his best at the moment, but we are prepared to work with him to get him to that point,” Scott said.
Geelong’s Dominance Over North Melbourne
Geelong’s winning streak against North Melbourne is the longest active run of any one club against another, spanning over a decade. Their 14 victories in that time have come at an average margin of 48.6 points.
However, North Melbourne appears to be making progress this season, entering round eight in sixth place with a 4-3 record. Scott noted that the Kangaroos have a stack of young talent, which is helping them improve incrementally.
“It would stand to reason that they will be getting incrementally better with the stack of young talent that they’ve got in there,” Scott said. “It’s almost getting to the stage where you wouldn’t refer to them as young talent. They’re almost through that ‘academy’ kind of phase and they have some genuine high-level players who are starting to have a real impact, and probably have been for a while.”
Blicavs’ absence is offset by the return of Sam De Koning and Jake Kolodjashnij for the Cats. On the other hand, North Melbourne is without young gun George Wardlaw due to illness, with Tom Blamires stepping in. Charlie Comben also returns in place of fellow defender Toby Pink.
