Geelong is set to put the cue in the rack on the 2023 AFL season, SEN Chief Sports Reporter Sam Edmund understands.
The Cats crashed out of finals contention with a Round 23 loss to St Kilda on Saturday night and will continue the recent run of reigning premiers who won’t defend their flag.
Chris Scott’s side has been battered and bruised as the season’s gone on and it’s set to continue in Round 24.
It also lends an interesting narrative to the finals race given Geelong hosts the Western Bulldogs, a club that can still play finals.
There is doubt over Jeremy Cameron AND Tom Hawkins ahead of the final round, with the Cats finals hopes now dashed. A few surgeries booked in at the Cattery, too. The Bulldogs haven't won down there for 20 years, but they might be about to get one of their best chances.
— Sam Edmund (@Sammy__Edmund) August 21, 2023
“The Bulldogs are about to be given the best chance maybe ever - certainly in recent memory - of beating the Cats down there, because the Cats are about to put the biggest cue in the biggest rack you’ve ever seen,” Edmund told SEN’s Sportsday.
“Jeremy Cameron, my understanding is he will not play the final game of the year, in fact he’s set for surgery on that shoulder injury we told you he copped way back in Round 15 when he was on the receiving end of the friendly fire from Gary Rohan.
“His partner in crime, Tom Hawkins, I believe will also miss this game having been bothered by a hamstring of late as well, bothered in that game on the weekend.
“I think you can put a line through him.
“I think there’s a few surgeries booked in as well. Even though they’re not playing at the moment, Gary Rohan and Mark Blicavs (both hamstring injuries) will be put under the knife as well.
“This is Geelong saying, ‘nothing to be gained now… get started for 2024’. It might just help out the Western Bulldogs…”
Should the Bulldogs win on Saturday night, Greater Western Sydney will need to win against Carlton on Sunday to secure a finals berth.
The Dogs would have spent this week in the top eight if they had defeated West Coast in Round 22.