Geelong’s Mitch Duncan has conceded he needs to improve his consistency after a backhander from Cats legend Cameron Ling last week.
The skilled midfielder admitted he needed to win more of his own ball as he adjusted to playing alongside superstar Patrick Dangerfield.
“It’s probably not always getting my possessions by receiving the ball (but) getting in there and winning the ball myself with the likes of the other midfield players,” Duncan said this week.
Ling had a crack at Geelong players after their shock loss to St Kilda, singling out Duncan and Stephen Motlop.
The premiership captain questioned their preparation and complained that “a few players now have had really ordinary games”.
The Saints loss has piled additional pressure onto the second-placed Cats as they prepared to take on fourth-placed Sydney in Geelong this Friday night.
“They are going to come out firing,” Duncan said, anticipating hot competition at the stoppages.
The Cats would have to “embrace that and make sure we don’t get out-pressured”, he said.
Geelong will be refreshed after a week off courtesy of the bye but the Swans will breath fire after losing to the Bulldogs in Sydney by less than a kick last weekend.
Complicating matters for the Swans, captain Kieran Jack has been dealing with a public family spat all week as he prepares for his 200th AFL game.
The issue emerged this week when his mother used Twitter to complain about Jack barring his parents from the match due to a falling out with his girlfriend, a model and TV producer.
“I love (Charlotte) very much and I’m very proud of her,” Jack said at his press conference this week.
“I’ve been pretty disappointed with the way the situation has been played out in the public eye. My take on it is pretty clear: it’s a private matter and my wish is for it to stay that way.
“What I have learnt through this is that family issues happen but they need to remain private. I’m not going to get caught up in getting into a he-said-she-said, I think it’s probably an immature approach.”
