Geelong assistant coach Steven King has named a trio of Cats that could be left out of the side for Opening Round, with each player racing to reach match fitness for their match in three weeks.
Veteran Cameron Guthrie is one of the three eyeing an early return to the side but may be ruled out, having been sidelined for the majority of 2024 with a complex Achilles injury that required surgery.
Likewise, rising star Shaun Mannagh's foot injury has hampered his pre-season, leaving his appearance in Opening Round doubtful, while youngster Toby Conway could be held out of the side as he progressively increases his load in recovery from a back injury.
King said that their extensive periods outside the main training group could lead to their selection's demise even if they reach appropriate health, citing the 'intensity' of Opening Round could provide another unwanted setback.
"I think the main ones would be Cam Guthrie, 'Shauny' Mannagh, Toby Conway, I think they're the ones that had probably been pressing for selection that are just not quite there at the moment, but hopefully not too far away," King said.
"I think the longer they stay out of sort of full sessions, I think it's unreasonable to ask them to get up and play that intensity of Round Zero.
"I think in the next week it will tell us a bit more about those three, but we'll see how it goes."
Despite his value to the side, King said the Cats would be in no rush to usher Conway back into the team, taking a cautious approach after he suffered a back injury following post-season foot surgery.
"It's obviously a challenge for 'Tobes'. He hasn't had a great run at it," King said.
"Off-season surgery on his foot, and then just had a disc issue. I think (he was) in bed, sort of coughing, so something pretty innocuous that obviously happened.
"So we just have to take our time with Toby. He's a very valuable commodity for us, so we'll just make sure he's right. Not just the back, but the whole body.
"We'll reload him in a manner that I think looks after Toby long-term.
"I think it was really exciting to see what Toby did last year for us, and I think once he gets a good run at it, yeah, I think he can play a lot of footy for this footy club and at a high level.
"It's exciting for us in the future."
Geelong will host Hawthorn at GMHBA Stadium for a practice match next week, with its unofficial status allowing the two clubs to experiment with their players and play extended-length matches or use an expansive selection of their list.
King said Hawthorn, who are no strangers to the peculiar six-term match, were set to take on the Cats in another extended contest, but will now play a standard four-quarter game.
The standard set-up means Geelong will have to alter their approach on how long of a run-through each player gets in the build-up to the official home-and-away season.
"We initially thought it was going to be a five or six-quarter game or term game, and now I think it's back to four," King said on the practice match set-up.
"We'd love to give everyone an opportunity, but we have to make sure we get our preparation right for that game against Brisbane.
"We'll probably sit down today after training and work out who plays three-quarters or a full game and how many we expose.
"We'll have a couple strips ready to go, but we'd love to replicate rotations as in a proper game."
Geelong will continue to face a ruck conundrum in 2025, juggling the part-time acts of Sam De Koning, Rhys Stanley and Mark Blicavs, whose versatile skillsets have been utilised to rotate through the role while the Cats list remains without a set star tall.
King hinted that the usual suspects of 2024 will likely continue their ruck cycle, however, an untried teenage prospect has had a strong pre-season and pressing his case for a debut.
"There will be a little bit of (Mark Blicavs) as well (as Sam De Koning and Rhys Stanley in the ruck) at times," King said.
"We've got options there with, you know what 'Scotty's (Chris Scott) like, having as much flexibility in the team as we can, and we feel like we've got enough players to be able to do that.
"I think Mitch Edwards is one that's jumped up a little bit. He's had a great pre-season, showing signs, but again, hasn't played a lot of football yet.
"We want to make sure he's his growth and development is a priority over a short-term hit of just playing.
"So we'll make sure we sit down and work out what that right balance is with him and for all our rucks."
The Geelong assistant also alluded to Bailey Smith's role at the club, with a position yet to be set in stone for the former Bulldog. An aspect of Smith's choice to depart Whitten Oval boiled down to being played out of position, and since his arrival at Kardinia Park, questions have continued to fire on whether Smith will receive his midfield wish at Geelong.
"(Smith's) probably been unrestricted since Christmas, he's been finding a lot of the footy and just getting his head around playing different roles for us in a different system, but he's going to be great for us, for what he can do for us as a club," King said.
"I think Bailey's someone who's unique, where he can play inside and outside. So for us, I think we'll just tap into that.
"I think you'll see him play inside, bit of wing, bit of forward, try and just spin the numbers through the middle of the ground a little bit.
"But certainly, he'll be helping us transition the footy up and down the ground."
King also commented on another new recruit, Jack Martin, who joined the Cats in hopes the high-performance team could get his injury-prone body right, so the 30-year-old could achieve consistent football again.
It's why Martin's long-term aspirations see him in doubt to play in Opening Round, with King suggesting a later return date will ensure Martin stays on the park once he's fit enough for a call-up.
"(Martin) played a half in our Monday match sim, so that was great. We've probably been putting more focus on strength and rebuilding Jack's body a little bit to withstand the rigours of what the season has ahead of for him," King said.
"He's one that he'll be touch and go for Round Zero availability, but he's trained a lot for us already this preseason, we've been really excited by what he's been able to produce for us.
"Our priority is to have Jack there available for the next couple of years, not just for one game or one month for football.
"I wouldn't put a line through him yet (for Opening Round), because I know he'll be putting his hand up again.
"If it was going to be a six-quarter game, we would have seen Jack play at least two or three of those quarters, but he might be one where we've got to work out, is he a realistic option for Opening Round, or do we just make sure we do the right thing by him?"
Geelong's pre-season clash with Hawthorn is dated for Monday, February 17, followed by a Community Series clash against Essendon on Tuesday, February 25. The Cats will play the opening match of the home and away season against Brisbane on Thursday, March 6.
