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Max Rooke of Geelong & Nick Maxwell of Collingwood chase the ball during the AFL Round 03 match between the Geelong Cats and the Collingwood Magpies at the MCG. Slattery Images
Geelong’s Andrew Mackie says the Cats cannot afford to bank on the return of stars from injury making the difference should they play St Kilda again this AFL season.
The absence of star forward Steve Johnson through hip soreness denied the Cats their leading scorer this season against the ladder leader on Sunday, when the Saints won by six points.
The returns of Johnson and ruck-forward Brad Ottens would potentially have a huge impact on Geelong’s forward line, given Tom Hawkins had a poor game at Etihad Stadium and Cameron Mooney has had his yips this campaign.
The Cats are hopeful Johnson can play the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Saturday night, while Ottens is earmarked for a return later this year after he strained a knee ligament in round two.
Mackie said Geelong’s effort to fight back from 31 points down in the first quarter without Johnson was commendable, but warned against expecting the return of players to be enough if the two sides met in the finals.
“They’re two of our great players and it definitely helps when you do have your best side in,” he said.
“Who’s to say that other injuries won’t happen towards the end of the year for any side?
“You’ve got to be able to adapt.
“It does give other guys chances to play in a game like, (where) the pressure and the general feeling out there was a great experience for the blokes who hadn’t been through it, like (second-gamer) Simon Hogan (who replaced Johnson).”
Johnson will be monitored through the week to determine whether he can return, while Ottens has resumed training, but is at least two weeks away from a potential return.
Mackie said Geelong would be better off building on the series of fightbacks they launched.
After St Kilda’s five-goal burst in the first quarter, the Cats reeled the deficit to three points midway through the third term.
They also rallied from 23 points down at the eight-minute mark of the last quarter to draw level, until big Saint Michael Gardiner kicked the winning goal.
“It’s pretty easy once you are down by a few goals at the start of the game and given that they are a great side,” Mackie said.
“I thought it showed great character by our boys.
“It’s something that we haven’t had to show in the past for a while, that we can do that.”
The loss was just Geelong’s fourth in 59 games, a period stretching back to round six of 2007.
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