Geelong Football Club suffers a crushing blow ahead of the grand final. All-Australian defender Tom Stewart is set to be unavailable after entering concussion protocols, forcing the key defender to miss this pivotal fixture. Contested heavy tackle on the preliminary final against Hawthorn at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This action comes on the heels of that heated episode. The incident happened prior to the conclusion of the 1Q, requiring him to be subbed out of the game entirely. Despite this disappointment, Geelong went on to win, beating Hawthorn 17.13 to 13.7.
Stewart’s absence is an avenue for legitimate concern when it comes to Geelong’s defense. The team will now need to adapt in preparation for the big grand final on offer. Coach Chris Scott even admitted that Stewart’s absence is felt most severely right now. In his statement, he termed the news “shattering” to the player and the whole team. As Scott noted, Stewart’s serious concussion might need a new approach. Both scenarios would likely force him to bring the versatile Mark Blicavs into defence.
Tom is one of my really close mates,” said Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield. I appreciate him not only for what we accomplished on the court together, but for the amazing human being that he is. His emotional response reflects the camaraderie within the team and highlights Stewart’s importance beyond his on-field contributions.
Geelong are making a major shuffling of their defensive ranks. They will likely welcome back ruckman Rhys Stanley, who is back from a recent hamstring injury. Scott said having to adjust to a player’s injury or departure has been a common theme for the team all season.
After all their hard work, Geelong will be returning to their third grand final in six seasons! That’s the fourth time under Scott’s leadership – in his remarkable 15-year tenure at Kardinia Park. During his tenure, the club won premierships in 2011 and 2022. Their 2020 decider loss was a major disappointment. Scott reflects on this year’s squad as they prepare for the decider. He did say that he feels like the team is more prepared than they have been in past years.
Yes, I think that’s correct,” Scott replied. It’s hard to compare past times, but for sure we do a lot of mid-season changes on the regular. His approach not only demonstrates an intent to continue to grow with the game, but provides stability within their team framework.
Geelong’s resilience has been on show all season, as Chris Scott has blooded a bunch of kids and made it work. To Scott, stability has been the key ingredient to their success. He has bites to share. Everyone in business preaches the doctrine of stability for the most part, but when something is not working, go in a different direction.
As Geelong prepares for this spectacular match-up, Scott opens up on significant issues about player welfare. He’s particularly concerned with the timing of finals as well. He admitted that the inclusion of a bye round prior to the decider started to look like a big advantage for those clubs competing for the ultimate prize.
I’m fully in favor of one week off before the grand final if we can accommodate that within this year’s calendar,” Scott said. His view thoroughly represents the league’s current conversations. In the process, they work to optimize player health and performance during the most important times of the season.
The notion that Stewart’s injury could represent one of the most impactful moments of the season was echoed by commentator Xander McGuire, emphasizing its significance not only for Geelong but for the final’s overall competitive landscape.
So now the countdown begins to that epic grand final! Geelong will need to come together and adjust fast in Stewart’s absence. The train team is extremely excited to take this challenge on. Their success might be key as they run towards a third straight premiership with Chris Scott as director.
