North Melbourne coach Brad Scott does not care what Geelong’s injury list, win-loss record or bookies say, he says Kardinia Park is still a formidable place to win an AFL match.
The Kangaroos are strong favourites to earn just their second win in Geelong for a decade and Scott’s first as coach.
In fact, it has been nine seasons since Geelong was longer odds to win at the Cattery.
That was 66 matches ago against eventual 2006 premiers West Coast, which arrived with an 8-1 record to play the 11th-placed Cats.
It is a mark of how well the Kangaroos have progressed but Scott suggested until they had actually earned the win, such talk was premature.
Scott said Geelong’s gritty win last round over Gold Coast showed the Cats were far from a spent force.
“The discussions around their death have been premature,” he said.
“I wouldn’t think playing Geelong this week we’d have any more confidence than any other week.
“That win against the Gold Coast was full of merit, full of courage and character.”
You could say the same thing about North Melbourne’s tense loss to Port Adelaide – and Jack Ziebell.
Ziebell spent two nights in hospital after a crunching tackle against the Power left him with a bruised lung but Scott said he was in contention for Sunday’s match.
“We’ll give him every opportunity and the way he’s recovered, we’re really optimistic,” Scott said.
“He’s feeling terrific, he feels like he could play today.
Daniel Wells and Jamie Macmillan (both Achilles) are likely to be named ahead of fitness tests.
The Cats’ non-starters for Sunday’s match include Jimmy Bartel, Andrew Mackie and Mathew Stokes, while the club is not sure whether Tom Hawkins’s compassionate leave will extend to Sunday.
Source: AAP
