Reports that Geelong defender and All Australian lock Tom Stewart's season was over could well be premature.
The tattooed interceptor was an absentee from the Cats' come from behind victory over the fast starting Saints on Saturday afternoon after suffering what has been described as a Lisfranc foot injury at training during the week.
Although it was reported byย The Herald Sunย on Sunday morning that the integral backman is set to undergo surgery on Monday, if Geelong can repeat their efforts of last year by returning to the Grand Final, then Stewart could be in-line for a shock return to Chris Scott's side.
Speaking after his side wrapped up a double chance, Scott suggested that if the procedure went well and that Stewart rehabbed appropriately, then his ageing roster could be bolstered by the day of the season's decider.
โI donโt think even the higher power knows if he will come back or not but what we have been told is itโs possible, however slim that chance is,โ the premiership coach offered in his post-game press conference.
Although remaining coy about his team's chances at the business end of the year, the often animated pedagogue paid praised to his injured star.
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โI donโt often say this but heโs been our best player for the year," Scott continued.
"I think often we look at the players and reference the past too much and their reputations rather than looking at one season in isolation. If we do that, heโs been superb for us.
โBut history is littered with teams who have overcome adversity like that and I think itโs just a fact in footy โฆ that you need a little bit of luck, but you can guarantee at some point youโre going to get some bad luck. So weโve just got to find a way to respond.โ
Despite claiming the necessary victory on their home turf, the Cats' defense started their work slowly and appeared disjointed at times throughout the opening half of their date with the Saints.
Having conceded the first five-goals of the contest, Scott was forced to move his magnets about to find the right balance to cover the 28-year-old's uniquely offensive brand of defense.
However, the former Lion suggested that it was a ludicrous notion to suggest that just one player could come in and fulfill all of Stewart's game-day duties.
"I think itโs a silly argument to make that you just bring in another guy to play his role,โ Scott said in finality.
โWeโre not going down that path. But it will just have to be a collective response.โ
Geelong are set to round out their regular season fixture when they face Melbourne next weekend in a contest that will decide this season's minor premiership.
