GEELONG is still questioning whether wingman Max Holmes will play in Saturday's Toyota AFL Grand Final, as the talented youngster continues to recover from a hamstring problem that has plagued his week.
With the season's decider just a tick over 24 hours away, the Cats were still in the process of deliberating whether Holmes had done enough this week to prove his fitness or whether he would be a late withdrawal on Saturday morning.
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Geelong named Holmes in its starting 22 on Thursday night. But it has Irishman Mark O'Connor, veteran Sam Menegola and young midfielder Brandan Parfitt on standby pending a late fitness test.
Speaking alongside Sydney coach John Longmire at the Grand Final parade on Friday morning, Geelong boss Chris Scott said the club had not yet come to a final decision on Holmes' availability.
"He's probably done what he's needed to do from a physical point of view," Scott said.
"We were hoping we'd be at the point now where we could absolutely say that he was playing. What we do know is that it's absolutely not a 'no'.
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"We just need to make sure that we spend the requisite time over the next little bit working through whether he's absolutely right and whether that's the best thing for us. We haven't absolutely made that decision just yet."
Holmes was substituted out of last week's preliminary final victory over Brisbane and had eight days to recover in time for Saturday's crucial clash, but was on limited duties at training throughout the week.
O'Connor was his replacement as the medical substitute in the victory over the Lions, as Menegola and Parfitt were named in the extended 26-man squad, with Scott revealing the versatile Irishman would likely come into the team if Holmes was ruled out.
"Probably. Yeah, probably," Scott said.
"There are three guys over the last couple of weeks in our squad that have been desperately unlucky. Mark is one of them, Sam and Brandan are the others. There's another group of players beyond them.
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"But if you had have asked me 12 weeks ago, I would've said those three guys were in our team for sure. I feel desperately for them. If Max doesn't come up, it'll be one of those guys who comes in."
Geelong captain Joel Selwood will play in his 40th final on Saturday, breaking Michael Tuck's all-time record for most finals appearances, and will be hoping to lift his fourth premiership after his sixth Grand Final.
However, asked whether Saturday would be Selwood's 355th and final match – given he has not yet decided on his future beyond this season – the 34-year-old provided a cheeky response.
"Another one trying to push me out the door," Selwood laughed.
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"I just feel so lucky that I've been able to be in a good side along the journey … 40 finals, it's probably crept up on me. Right from the outset, I've played among a lot of good players.
"I play every game like it's my last. This one will be the same. We'll have those discussions and we'll be aligned as a footy club whatever that is. But there's no resting yet, I've got to make sure I've got a job to do."
