Sidelined Cat still eyeing Grand return

“All things are looking really positive from my end.”

EDITOR | September 4, 2021 - 10:30am

Geelong defender Tom Stewart is eyeing a miraculous Grand Final return after suffering a suspected season-ending foot injury last month.

The three-time All-Australian suffered the Lisfranc injury at training ahead of his side's Round 22 clash against St Kilda, with a standard diagnosis for such an injury likely ruling out Stewart's season.

However, a stunning comeback ahead of schedule wouldn't be unfamiliar for the star backman, who managed a rapid return to health last year after suffering a broken collarbone.

GEELONG, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 18: Tom Stewart of the Cats marks the ball during the round 22 AFL match between the Geelong Cats and the Fremantle Dockers at GMHBA Stadium on August 18, 2018 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

The 28-year-old's latest setback hasn't kept him out of a potential return either, with Stewart telling K Rock that he will take the next step toward a hopeful comeback in the coming days.

“I am progressing really well,” Stewart revealed

“I am off crutches and walking and doing a lot of stairs and I am aiming to run for the first time on Sunday.

“So all things are looking really positive from my end and I am just grateful to be over here and be able to still support the boys and help out wherever I can."

The Cats' 2021 campaign was extended on Friday night thanks to a 35-point victory over Greater Western Sydney at Optus Stadium.

The win, doubled with the AFL's plans to have a finals bye the week prior to this year's Grand Final, gives Stewart's chances of a return a major boost of returning for the season-decider should the Cats qualify.

“That (the grand final) is the aim, so obviously it is still three weeks and a day until that moment happens but I am going to give myself every opportunity," he added.

Stewart added that there has been some concern to work on a short-term recovery, with the defender still having a conscious outlook on his career long-term.

“It is definitely a balancing act,” he said.

“It is an injury that obviously has had its issues in the past but speaking to medical professionals we got a lot of different opinions from my surgeon to physios.

GEELONG, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 25: Tom Stewart of the Cats warms up prior to the round 23 AFL match between the Geelong Cats and the Gold Coast Suns at GMHBA Stadium on August 25, 2018 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

“I got advice that six weeks is enough for this particular injury. If anything flares up in the interim obviously I have the ability to pull the pin and say that I am not right to go but the advice from surgeons and physiotherapist was that I could get back to the grand final if everything goes well for us, so that was the advice I took.

“Long term there is no guarantees in life so I wanted to give myself an opportunity to play for this footy club and contribute in the finals…so that is my though process at this time.”

Geelong coach Chris Scott expressed a similar tone when speaking on Stewart's potential return following Friday's win over Greater Western Sydney.

“He’s ahead of schedule, which I find humorous when the guy is walking up stairs and that’s ahead of schedule," Scott said.

“Let me be really clear ... I don’t get involved in the minutia of the medical decision-making but we need to be really clear as a club that we weren’t going to put his long-term future at risk by trying to rush him back for a final.