Geelong will give Patrick Dangerfield additional day off to recuperate from a hamstring pressure because the Cats search to repeat final 12 months’s success managing their famous person.
The Cats captain will sit out Friday night time’s conflict with Richmond on the MCG after being subbed out early within the third quarter in final week’s win over Adelaide.
Dangerfield was the most recent to hitch a rising damage record at Geelong, with fellow premiership heroes Tyson Stengle (damaged arm), Sam De Koning (facial surgical procedure), Gary Rohan (hamstring) and Cam Guthrie (toe) all sidelined.
The 33-year-old’s damage was minor however the Cats will not be taking any dangers with the Brownlow medallist so early of their premiership defence.
Dangerfield struggled with a calf damage final 12 months, lacking 5 weeks, however was firing come finals time.
“We will manage everyone’s expectation with that, he will come back into our senior team well and truly after he’s ready,” Cats coach Chris Scott mentioned.
“It sort of mimics what we did with him a little bit last year, but it doesn’t speak to the severity of the injury.
“So most likely just a little bit just like Mitch Duncan earlier within the 12 months.
“Just when it comes to Patrick we feel like discretion’s the way to go.
“…he positively will not play this week and I doubt he’ll play subsequent week.”
After starting the season 0-3, Geelong will be gunning for a sixth-straight win when they meet the Tigers.
The Cats will start as warm favourites with Richmond having broken a five-game losing streak with a workmanlike victory over struggling West Coast last week.
It will be the first time the modern rivals have faced off since champion defender Tom Stewart was banned for a month after knocking out star Tigers midfielder Dion Prestia with a high bump in round 15 last year.
Prestia and Richmond coach Damien Hardwick have urged Tigers fans to show respect to Stewart, but the Cats understand the crowd response could be fiery.
Fan behaviour was thrust into the spotlight this week after Lance Franklin was bizarrely jeered by Collingwood supporters every time he touched the ball last Sunday.
“With Tom Stewart, there is a cause for the booing, I believe Tom would perceive that,” Scott mentioned.
“I believe he’ll be okay with that as a result of he is reconciled his actions final 12 months and did that actually shortly.
“I was proud of him. He was clear that he did the wrong thing and felt horrible about it.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
