Geelong have opted against recalling swingman Sam De Koning for their qualifying final clash against Port Adelaide on Thursday night.
The 2022 premiership defender, who has regularly been used in the ruck this season, was passed fit to play earlier in the week after missing the final rounds of the home-and-away season with a knee injury.
De Koning played in the Cats’ VFL team last week in their loss to Werribee in a bit to prove his fitness.
But the Cats have opted to take an unchanged line-up into the Adelaide Oval, with De Koning and veteran forward Gary Rohan both named as emergencies.
Another pair of veterans in Tom Hawkins and Cameron Guthrie are expected to make their return from injury in the Cats’ VFL semi-final against Southport at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday afternoon, in a bid to put their hands up for selection in either a semi-final or preliminary final in the senior team, depending on whether they can claim victory on Thursday night.
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The Power have named star midfielder Zak Butters despite a mid-week eye injury scare, while veteran Charlie Dixon has been preferred to Todd Marshall in attack.
Dixon comes in for the omitted Dante Visentini, while Quinton Narkle, a former Cat, returns for the injured Kane Farrell.
The Power opted not to make a like-for-like replacement for Farrell in defence, with young speedster Josh Sinn named as an emergency alongside Visentini and Marshall.
FULL TEAMS
Port Adelaide
B: Jones, Zerk-Thatcher, Bergman
HB: Burton, Aliir, L Evans
C: Burgoyne, Wines, Drew
HF: Byrne-Jones, Ratugolea, Rioli
F: Georgiades, Dixon, Rozee (c)
R: Sweet, Horne-Francis, Butter
I/C: Boak, Narkle, Mead, F Evans, McEntee (sub to be named Thursday)
EMG: Sinn, Visentini, T Marshall
Geelong
B: Humphries, J Henry, Kolodjashnij
HB: Duncan, Blicavs, Z Guthrie
C: Holmes, Atkins, Dempsey
HF: Stengle, Neale, Mannagh
F: Close, Cameron, O Henry
R: Stanley, Dangerfield (c), Stewart
I/C: Tuohy, Bowes, Miers, Bruhn, Bews (sub to be named Friday)
EMG: Rohan, Mullin, De Koning
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