GEELONG is crying out for another key forward after James Podsiadly's departure to Adelaide and Nathan Vardy's season-ending knee injury.

But star defender Harry Taylor doesn't expect to be pushed into attack on a more regular basis than in the past.

"I have moved up there on occasions over the last few years, so we all think we're capable of kicking goals," Taylor told AFL.com.au while filling in for the injured Joel Selwood at captains' day at Adelaide Oval.

"Whether we can structure that for the entire game … I'm not sure what 'Scotty' (senior coach Chris Scott) is thinking."

Taylor played up forward during the second half of the Cats' NAB Challenge win over Melbourne in Alice Springs last weekend.

The two-time All Australian centre half-back booted two goals and took a number of strong marks.

But as he looks towards the home and away season, Taylor is predicting that it will be a group of younger Cats who will play alongside Tom Hawkins in attack.

"We've got a lot of faith in some other guys that many people would not know much about," Taylor said, referring to players like Mitch Brown, Shane Kersten and promoted rookie Josh Walker.

"Our recruiters have done a really good job in getting some great young people and footballers to the club, and we think that they are going to play an important role for us while 'Vards' is getting his rehab done."


"It was really tragic," he said. "A Saturday morning session, nothing too much different, and he just basically jumped for a ball and didn't even seem to land too awkwardly.

"But unfortunately his knee buckled and he is going to spend a long time on the sidelines.

"Training certainly dropped off from that point. Just seeing how easy it could happen was scary in a way, and it was really unfortunate because he has had a wretched run of injuries.

"Those guys who get one injury, they seem to follow up with even worse luck.

"It's very, very sad from the club's point of view, and the individual, but we'll keep supporting him and look to cover the loss as best we possibly can from a personnel point of view.

"But we're basically just trying to support him at the moment."

Vardy had his knee reconstruction, which was performed by renowned orthopaedic surgeon Julian Feller, in Melbourne on Monday.

"Hopefully he is going to pull up well and basically get stuck into rehab," Taylor said.