Spearhead Jeremy Cameron has hailed Geelong’s remodelled attack as veteran Tom Hawkins attempts to press his increasingly unlikely case for an AFL return.
Cameron has also backed defender-turned-midfielder Tom Stewart to return from hamstring tightness for Saturday evening’s preliminary final against Brisbane at the MCG.
Champion forward Hawkins, who will retire at season’s end, hasn’t played since injuring his foot against Carlton in round 15 and recently returned via the VFL.
Geelong have kicked more than 100 points in five of 10 games without Hawkins, with mobile tall Shannon Neale thriving in his absence.
The likes of mature-age recruit Shaun Mannagh and AFL Rising Star Ollie Dempsey have also been influential.
“It’s a really nice balance. We’ve got a lot of guys that can play different roles,” Cameron said on Monday.
“Scratcher (Neale) has been enormous for us. He provides a really big contest. He’s such a big fella and when he can launch at the ball, he’s hard to stop. So he plays an important role.
“Ollie Henry’s a different sort of player. He can really leap and take it at the highest point as well, but he’s so dangerous on ground level as well, and very classy.
“We’ve got just a really good mix. There’s guys that aren’t talked about a hell of a lot, but inside, internally, they play a huge role for us.
“It’s nice to be able to mix things up if things aren’t really working for us at any given time. We’ve got the licence to change it up and have a different look at it. And I think that’s key to the big moments and big games.”
Cameron lauded Hawkins’s attitude and admitted it would be hard to see the 36-year-old miss out.
“It’d be obviously difficult. He’s been through a fair bit this season,” he said.
“He could just sail off and he’s had an amazing career, and it’s so touch and go with the timing of how his foot is healing and the timing of getting back, it’s a tight window, but he’s done everything he could possibly do.
“He’s in there, working behind the scenes, he’s in the heat room. He’s doing everything he can to give himself a chance. And that’s all you can really ask for.
“It’s very lifting to walk down to the gym and see that.
“I’m lucky. I don’t have to sit in the committee and make the big decisions, but he’s given himself every chance, and that’s all we can ask for from a great teammate.”
Cam Guthrie also looms as a heartbreak story after two injury-decimated seasons, but Cameron said he had been “unbelievable” as he pushed his own selection case.
But Stewart appears a likely starter against Brisbane.
“He’s been training really well, Tommy. He’s got to get through training this week, but we all do. Tommy’s in the same boat,” Cameron said.
“He’s going well. Exciting to have him come back, for sure.
“We know what Tommy’s like and how big of a player he is for the club.”
