GEELONG coach Chris Scott says Hawthorn is the team to beat going into 2016.
Scott’s Cats will take on the Hawks in a week’s time, kicking off their season in an Easter Monday blockbuster at the MCG.
Bolstered by a number of big recruits – headlined by Patrick Dangerfield – the Cats will be out to return the finals equation after missing the eight in 2015.
“I think they’ll be hard to beat,” Scott told Triple M’s Hot Breakfast on Monday morning.
“You need everything going for you to beat the Hawks at the moment. They’ve lost a couple of players who were important last year, but they’re just so good at replacing those guys with young players who seem to be almost at the good.
“Right at the moment it’s clear they’re the team to beat. We’re hopeful that we can put in a good performance Easter Monday.”
Cats captain Joel Selwood has dispelled any doubts over his fitness for Round 1, racking up 34 disposals to be best on ground in a VFL practice match on Friday night.
“He played really well. It wasn’t a complete surprise, although he hasn't done a lot of the football training throughout the pre-season he has got a fair bit of running in,” Scott said.
“He looked like he hadn’t missed a beat over the pre-season… I think it will be pretty hard to leave him out for Round 1.”
The Cats look set to make a number of changes from their most recent NAB Challenge match.
Veteran defender Corey Enright and forward Daniel Menzel loom as likely starters after missing that match, while recruit Zac Smith could partner fellow tall Rhys Stanley in the ruck.
“Zac in particular has been really good for us this pre-season, he’s done all the work,” Scott said.
“To be frank, he was under no illusions that he came into our footy club needing to prove himself and prove that he was in our best 22. He hasn’t completely done that yet, but he’s gone a long way towards that."
“We’re hopeful that Zac and Rhys Stanley can help us in the ruck, because it has been an area since Brad Ottens retired that we’ve been deficient in.”
