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Geelong enter tomorrow night’s crucial AFL game against Adelaide in remarkably good health after being bolstered by the returns of star fullback Matthew Scarlett and small forward Mathew Stokes.
The Cats have all but one of their premiership players still at the club ready for the vital clash at AAMI Stadium, where a win will regain them top spot on the ladder.
In the other game to complete round 14, Collingwood recalled three key players but not Josh Fraser for Saturday night’s game against Sydney, and the Swans regained ruckman Peter Everitt to replace suspended star Adam Goodes.
Scarlett missed the past two games because of a hamstring injury, while knee soreness kept Stokes out of the thrashing of West Coast in round 13.
If that’s all a headache for fifth-placed Adelaide, who are vying to stay in touch with the top four, Geelong coach Mark Thompson believed Scarlett would be better off after a decent recuperation and that the Cats were also.
“He’s right to go, he only had a minor hamstring and he probably could have played against West Coast – we didn’t, he’s had three weeks and he should be fine,” Thompson said.
“It was good for the team, too, to play without him and to know they can play good football without him.
“When you miss a couple of games, at his age (29), you certainly get an appetite back for the football and he should have a good run in now.”
The return of Scarlett and Stokes means goalsneak Shannon Byrnes (foot) is the only member of the 2007 premiership side who could return this season.
However, All-Australian defender Matthew Egan – who missed the grand final – will not play in 2008 because of a foot injury, while Steven King (now at St Kilda) and Nathan Ablett, who has walked away from football, are off limits.
Scarlett and Stokes replaced Harry Taylor and Brent Prismall.
Adelaide brought in Brad Symes and Kris Massie to replace injured star Andrew McLeod (knee) and Luke Jericho (dropped).
Although McLeod’s loss is a major blow, coach Neil Craig was hopeful Massie and Symes would provide the Crows flexibility.
“Both of those guys can play in defence, which would release probably a Scott Stevens,” Craig said.
“Scott has a lot of flexibility. He can play forward, some areas of the midfield and also defence.”
Collingwood recalled centre half-forward Travis Cloke, small forward Leon Davis and defender Shane Wakelin to play at ANZ Stadium, where the seventh-placed Magpies will aim to close the gap on the fourth-placed Swans.
Cloke returns after a one-game suspension, Davis has overcome ankle soreness and Wakelin a virus.
But ruckman Fraser, floated as another player to return, was overlooked as his sore knee did not recover as well as the Magpies hoped after training yesterday.
Fraser’s absence means Collingwood will bank on Cloke and their small forwards to provide most of the scoring, after Anthony Rocca (ankle) and Ben Reid (foot) were injured in the loss to the Western Bulldogs.
Everitt returned after missing two games with a hamstring injury, and although coach Paul Roos admitted the 34-year-old was slightly down on match fitness, expected him to play his usual role with ruck partner Darren Jolly.
But there was no one on Sydney’s list – probably no one in the competition – who could replace Goodes, who will miss his first game since 1999.
“It’s obviously a negative to have Adam out because he is such a good player,” Roos said.
“But it’s good to have Spida (Everitt) back because he’s a smart player, he’s a quality player in a pretty important position.”
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