'Put a stop to this': Calls for AFL to take action over infuriating Geelong move
Geelong coach Chris Scott has insisted Tom Stewart was nearly right to play against Brisbane on Saturday night, but the All-Australian was ruled out at the 11th hour. Stewart suffered a knee injury last week against St Kilda, but the Cats insist it's only a minor issue.
The defender was named in Geelong's team to take on the Lions in Brisbane, but was taken out when the side was finalised before first bounce. AFL fans were highly sceptical that Stewart would play, and the fact he was listed as "likely" before the game raised eyebrows.
When it was confirmed he wasn't playing, fans flocked to social media to complain. It's been a long-running complaint that Geelong aren't fully transparent with the extent of players' injuries, and there have been calls for years for the AFL to crack down on the practice of players being named when they're little chance to play.
But speaking to reporters after the game, Scott insisted Stewart was a chance to play, and said they wouldn't have flown him to Brisbane if not. "We always take as long as possible, which is different to what I understand of some other systems where they want certainty earlier in the week," he said. "We take as long as we possibly can to make a good decision.
"It's a little complicated when you're travelling. It's not ideal putting a guy on the plane and then having him not play, but it is an indication of how close we thought he was. He did a little bit today and just didn't feel quite right.
"We were always going to err on the side of caution, which meant that if he was a fair way off yesterday we wouldn't have brought him. We gave him a chance to play and I'm told we should be really confident he'll play next week."
Geelong's football manager Andrew Mackie said during the week: "Scans on Monday morning have ruled out any serious injury to Tom's right knee. With two training sessions remaining before we head to Brisbane, Tom will be closely monitored throughout the week and will be a test to play against the Lions on Saturday night."
But the majority of fans weren't buying it, and many suggested Stewart was little chance to play. There's no suggestion that Geelong have been dishonest, but the situation reignited debate around the naming of teams.
Aaaaaaaand Tom Stewart is OUT.Right on cue.You're welcome 🤝🏻#AFLLionsCats https://t.co/NzlXMaJy6o
— Footy Degenerate (@FootyIsMyJam) March 29, 2025
The AFL needs to put a stop to this crap
— nath :) (@nathandg12) March 29, 2025
AFL has let Geelong get away with this for a literal decade. It's nonsense, like 100s before him, he was never playing.
— Gil (@Doesgilgetalick) March 29, 2025
Geelong should be fined
— Man Sam (@MANSAM642407) March 29, 2025
I think it was pretty clear they were going to pull Tom Stewart out didn't even train this week. Whereas Bailey Smith did. As for Knevitt sub as a Geelong fan not sure why but it was always a risk from the start I guess he would get it at some point
— rjexxxx 🇵🇸🔻 (@rje1812) March 29, 2025
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Stewart was sorely missed as the Cats coughed up a 32-point lead at the Gabba to slump to 1-2 on the season. Geelong were cruising on a wet night, before Brisbane kicked seven goals to two in the second half to win 10.10 (70) to 9.7 (61).
The loss followed an upset seven-point defeat to St Kilda six days earlier. "Big parts of the game we had under control, so it's very annoying we let it slip," Scott said. "But if you have losses early in the season and think ... 'we're so far off' ... we're miles away from that space.
"You try to look forward. There have been so many years when we've ended up in a pretty good position and you look back and think 'that game's really going to hurt us' and in the end it hasn't. You'll get plenty of opportunities to feel sorry for yourself and let it compound, but you've just got to hang in a little bit."
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