Stand-in ruckman Mark Blicavs has the capability to lead Geelong’s midfield to AFL glory, says star Cat Max Holmes.
But coach Chris Scott is adamant that hamstrung ruckman Rhys Stanley wouldn’t be overlooked if fit for the Cats’ home preliminary final.
Stanley was ruled out of Friday night’s qualifying final against Brisbane, with Blicavs shouldering the majority of the ruck load against Darcy Fort.
Blicavs had four first-quarter clearances and finished with six clearances, 20 disposals, 27 hitouts and a goal as Geelong prevailed 16.16 (112) to 11.8 (74) at the MCG.
“He’s just an absolute star, isn’t he?” Holmes told AAP.
“He plays a role for us every single week, and he wasn’t fazed at all when Rhys went down. It was real unfortunate for Rhys to go down.
“But ‘Blitz’ really stood up and I love playing with him.”
When asked if Blicavs, as a ruckman, could take Geelong’s midfield all the way in September if required, Holmes said: “I definitely think so.
“I don’t want to speak ill of any other ruckman. I feel like the best ruckmen in the comp are probably not playing finals at the moment.
“But yeah, I do think he can really match them and beat them, to be honest.”
Blicavs, 34, has consistently shown his versatility across 293 games.
“He’s a marvel… I’ll go on for too long if I talk about how highly I rate him.”
“I just want to keep a bit of a lid on it, but it’s bursting out of me that I just want to speak glowingly of him,” Scott said.
“He’s a marvel, what he’s been able to do.
“It was a bit confusing and frustrating, especially for Rhys Stanley, but there wasn’t great certainty for us in the lead-up to the game.
“But it shouldn’t have been a surprise that Mark just stepped up and ‘right, whatever you need me to do, I’m confident I can do it’ and he gives us a bit of a different look in there.
“But again, I’ll go on for too long if I talk about how highly I rate him.”
Scott wouldn’t confirm whether he expected Stanley to be fit for the preliminary final, wanting “certainty” on his injury.
“We just want to wait a little bit before we communicate and potentially make an error,” he said.
“And obviously it’s sensitive, because I think it’s unlikely that he would have been right to play next week, but then it sort of makes the timeline a bit challenging, and we would hate to put something out that is misleading.”
But Scott wouldn’t consider leaving Stanley out to keep Blicavs in the ruck.
“Oh no, he’d be in our team, Stanley. He’s had a terrific year,” Scott said.
“At his age, to be playing the way he has played this year is a real credit to him and I’d hate to give any impression that we wouldn’t be a better team with him in it.”
