One change for Cats

ack Henry has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a foot injury (Sport media Image / Marcel Berens).

Geelong has been forced into making one change from last weeks winning team for Friday night’s blockbuster clash against Collingwood at the MCG.

Defender Jack Henry has been ruled out for the rest of the year with a foot injury, with young tall Shannon Neale coming into the side for just his third career game.

“(Henry) is unfortunately having a really tough run he’s undergone surgery to correct a lisfranc injury, so that’s a long term situation for him, that’ll be four months until he’s back,” coach Chris Scott said.

“It’ll at least give him the chance to have a full pre-season,” he said.

“On the flipside it gives Shannon Neale the opportunity to come in and play in our forwardline.

“We were really optimistic about what Shannon could do at the start of the season and he just had some bad luck as well and found himself injured at the wrong time.

“It’s been a frustrating year for him, but you can have a frustrating year and come in and have a few big moments at the end and it makes up for all of it.

“So we’re really excited about that prospect for Shannon.”

Veteran forward Tom Hawkins will miss again as he continues to deal with a hamstring injury, but Scott said the 35-year-old is back running at training.

“He’s looking good but he won’t play (Friday) night,” he said.

“But it’s a good sign that he’s making good progress and we fully expect him to play before the end of the home and away season.”

Brandan Parfitt, Oisin Mullin, Sam Menegola and Jed Bews make up the emergencies for the Cats.

The Magpies will be missing young star Nick Daicos after the Brownlow fancy fractures his knee last week, while Steele Sidebottom is dealing with a foot issue and forward Ash Johnson has been dropped.

Billy Framtpon and Will Hoskin-Elliot come into the Pies side, with last weeks sub Oleg Markov also starting the match.

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