Why Swann must shift the pre-finals bye

The Cats are through to a Grand Final, however the story is hardly their top performance over the Hawks.

In incredibly unfortunate circumstances, Geelong star Tom Stewart was substituted out of the Cats’ Preliminary Final win in the first term with concussion.

Patrolling deep in the back 50, Stewart was first to leap on a loose ball before being taken to ground by a pair of Hawthorn forwards. With arms pinned, Stewart was driven into the turf, copping a blow to the head against the MCG deck.

Given the outcome of the tackle, Mabior Chol (primary tackler) could be facing a potential penalty, having pinned the arms of the ball carrier, resulting in concussion.

Unfortunately for Stewart, the confirmed concussion will mean that the star defender will miss next week's Grand Final, as he enters the 12-day concussion protocol.

This once again raises the debate over the pre-finals bye, currently residing between Round 24 and Finals Week 1.

Speaking with the AFL Record, footy boss Greg Swann identified this exact predicament a week prior to tonight's game, identifying precisely why the pre-finals bye should be shifted to a week before the Grand Final.

"It's more to do with somebody getting concussed (in the preliminary final) and not being able to play (in the Grand Final)," he said.

"That's why we think that bye would be better off before the Grand Final."

Swann's quotes are as prevalent as ever, as the Cats will face off against the winner of tomorrow's blockbuster between Collingwood and Brisbane in a Grand Final without their star defender.