3 minute read

Geelong coach Chris Scott expects captain Joel Selwood and ruckman Rhys Stanley to return from injury for their AFL clash against St Kilda.

Geelong expect captain Joel Selwood and ruckman Rhys Stanley to return to AFL action against St Kilda on Saturday.

Selwood was ruled out of last weekend's win over GWS because of a thigh injury while Stanley was a late withdrawal due to an ankle complaint.

But Cats coach Chris Scott says both will likely return for the Marvel Stadium clash between his fifth-placed side and the seventh-placed Saints.

Scott says skipper Selwood is fresh from his week off.

"He had a series of corks in his quad that just meant that he wasn't going to be right to play (last week)," Scott told reporters on Wednesday.

"We have been consistent throughout the course of the year, probably the last couple of years, in that our priority is to make sure that all our guys go out and play when they're in a position to play at their best.

"We don't want to ask those guys and push through things that limit them too much. The week off will help Joel a lot."

Lead ruckman Stanley was a similar status, Scott said.

"He was obviously close to getting to the line last week without quite making it, we were always optimistic that he would come up this week," he said.

The duo's expected return comes with Scott on the verge of a personal milestone: he's level with Reg Hickey as the Geelong coach with the most wins.

Hickey coached 184 victories during 1932 to 1959 while Scott has the same number since taking over in 2011.

But Scott, whose winning percentage is 72 compared to Hickey's 62 per cent, deflected any personal significance of the looming record.

"I really struggle, and always have as a player and especially as a coach, with individual acknowledgements so if you want to make me feel uncomfortable, you're asking the right question," he said.

"But what I am really proud of is what the club has been able to achieve over a 10 or 12-year period.

"A long, long time after I'm finished I might reflect on some of those things but I consider the coaching position to be a product of the support that the club gives me, and even more, a product of the playing list.

" ... I'm so proud to be a part of this club so I really struggle to think about what it means to me as an individual. I would much prefer to think about what it means to us as a collective."