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Hawkins concern may thrust Cats into attack for trade period

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Tom HawkinsGEELONG may be in the hunt for an experienced tall forward in this year’s trade period with doubt surrounding the future of Tom Hawkins, who has a long-term back condition.

It is likely that out-of-contract veteran James Podsiadly will be offered a one year contract but he is no certainty to be given game time next season as the Cats look to blood young forward Josh Walker and Shane Kersten in attack.

There is some doubt whether versatile forward Mitch Brown will remain at the club after fielding offers in last year’s trade period.

After deciding to remain loyal, he was given limited senior opportunities in 2013.

The Cats are unlikely to be a in a position to trade for the Giants’ No.1 draft pick and snare Tom Boyd, but it may look to entice an experienced key forward from another club.

The Cats, have more recently, been linked to Collingwood defender Heath Shaw. Hawthorn, Melbourne, Essendon and Carlton have also shown significant interest in Shaw.

After delisting Josh Hunt and Paul Chapman and Joel Corey also on the outer, the Cats may look to fill the void with at least some experience to help nurture the youngsters coming through.

The Cats have a wealth of young talented midfielders that it may or may not use as trade bait. Billie Smedts, George Horlin-Smith, George Burbury and Jed Bews all did not feature in the AFL finals series.

Ryan Bathie and Cam Eardley, two of their top VFL stars, were surprisingly delisted. Some thought Bathie may have been of some value during trade week. Bathie is likely to be looked at by a club needing a young key forward and defender.

But significantly for Geelong, Hawkins is of a concern. Doctors have informed the club that his back is unlikely to be 100 per cent after suffering long-term damage to his disc.

While Hawkins showed that he is capable of taking a mark and kicking goals in finals when it matters, it is his lack of run and defensive pressure that may hurt the Cats in this age of the forward press from opposition clubs.

Podsiadly, who was plucked as a mature age recruit, is believed to have been told that he will remain on the list for next season but the club has a desire to blood and get more games into its young key forwards such as Walker and Kersten next season.

Walker was given an opportunity in a qualifying final against Fremantle but dropped a couple of crucial marks in the final term which arguably cost the Cats the game.

The lack of experience up forward killed the Cats and arguably their flag intentions.

 

 

 

 

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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Source: Flickr.com, User: JamesDPhotography


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