Former GWS coach Leon Cameron has drawn comparisons between Max Holmes’ injury to that of former Giants skipper Phil Davis in 2019.
The Geelong young gun sustained a hamstring injury in the third quarter of the Cats’ 71-point demolition of Brisbane, leaving his availability in question for next week’s Grand Final.
Geelong coach Chris Scott is “optimistic” that the 20-year-old Cat will play, and considering his importance to the side, Leon Cameron believes the club have to do “everything possible” to get him on the ground.
“(Holmes is) such an important cog… he’s got a massive motor and he helps (Joel) Selwood and (Patrick) Dangerfield do what they do because he plays big game time, he goes up and back, covers them defensively,” Cameron said on SEN’s Crunch Time.
“You’d be giving any chance until their final run and see how it’s going because he’s such an important cog.
“I know we’re not talking about Selwood or Dangerfield where the spirit of the side comes into it as well, but in terms of just structure, you would be giving it every chance.”
For Cameron, the circumstances surrounding Holmes’ injury remind him of the decision to play Phil Davis in the 2019 Grand Final against Richmond.
The former GWS skipper underwent a fitness test just 90 minutes before the Grand Final against the Tigers got underway, working through a calf injury.
The decision to play Davis was heavily scrutinised following the game, with the defender conceding 5 goals to direct opponent Jack Riewoldt as Richmond blew past GWS by 89 points to secure the 2019 Premiership.
However, Cameron revealed there were other factors that came into the decision to play the injured Davis.
“The nightmare of ’19, Phil Davis doing a test out on the ground,” he said.
“I mean he was the captain of our footy club, I let him take control of that (decision).
“The thing you couldn’t see was that Matt De Boer was in the same position, Adam Kennedy was in the same position, Aidan Corr was in the in the same position.
“There was about six of them that were really struggling at that time, really banged up, and there was a case, could we go to match committee on the Wednesday and say we’re going to bring in four first gamers for a Grand Final”
“That was the interesting one, do you play Lachie (Keeffe) over Phil because it’s like for like?”
Should Holmes ultimately miss the contest, Cameron believes Geelong will have a tough selection decision to make.
“You would be doing everything possible… clearly if the scans are no good, he’s out and you’ve got to look at whether it’s (Sam) Menegola or (Brandan) Parfitt,” he said.
“Everyone just says Parfitt is here, the next one in, but he doesn’t play Holmes’ spot.
“So then can Menegola just roam up the wing, or do you bring in (Mark) O’Connor, who has been the sub.”
“You’re probably not making a call on Saturday, but you’re making the call on Friday.”
The decision will be one of the most important Geelong has to make over the next week, as they prepare to take on either Sydney or Collingwood in the 2022 AFL Grand Final.