Sandilands key says Cats coach - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Sandilands key says Cats coach

Robert Grant 29/03/2011 04:22:54 PM Comments (0)

Geelong have moved to unsettle Fremantle by reminding the Dockers how much they rely on giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands.

Cats coach Chris Scott - an assistant at Fremantle for the previous three seasons - says Sandilands remains the key to the side as the two teams prepare for Saturday's round-two AFL clash at Patersons Stadium.

"He's the obvious one," Scott said. "I haven't seen a lot work against Aaron.

"But one thing everyone knows - and I'm not telling Fremantle anything they don't know - they rely on him to do a hell of a lot of work.

"My understanding is they would have protected him a bit over the pre-season so whether he's at his absolute best this week, I'm not sure.

"We're certainly preparing for him to be at his best, which is pretty ominous."

Scott said the Cats were seriously considering doubling up on the 211cm Sandilands in an attempt to nullify his influence.

"There's a couple of ways of looking at it - that's certainly one option.

"If you include Tom Hawkins, we've got five ruckmen on our list.

"In a way that could be perceived as a weakness but it does give us some flexibility.

"Double-teaming Aaron is one way to go, but also throwing something completely different at them is another way to go," Scott said.

Meanwhile captain Cameron Ling, dogged midfielder Paul Chapman and forward James Podsiadly are all available for this weekend's game after injury issues.

Ling proved he was over a hamstring strain when he picked up 38 possessions for the Cats' VFL team last weekend while Chapman, who had a groin injury, was also impressive in the second-tier competition.

Podsiadly has recovered from the broken hand he suffered in the first round of the NAB Cup.

And Joel Selwood will be assessed by club doctors later this week after suffering concussion during Friday's game.

Selwood clashed with St Kilda's Farren Ray and was stretchered off the ground.

"He's already put his hand up ... but to an extent we'll disregard everything he says and just back our medical staff," Scott said.

"They certainly haven't ruled him out.

"That's the difficult part - for the lay person to see someone who was so clearly concussed and affected straight after the incident, and the footage is pretty graphic as well, then he was on a bike 36 hours later with no ill-effects at all.

"He's got a fat lip and he looks a bit ugly but besides that he's fine."

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