GEELONG is considering the possibility of unleashing two draftees in the Easter Monday blockbuster against Hawthorn at the MCG.
Coach Chris Scott said both exciting youngster Nakia Cockatoo – who thrilled supporters with his dash in the NAB Challenge – and South Australian youngster Cory Gregson were both "well and truly" in the selection mix for the season opener.
He said the prospect of having both play was tantalising.
"It would be exciting to have a couple of debutants for round one, I reckon," Scott said.
But he stopped short of confirming their inclusion given the game is five days away.
Scott said Cockatoo's inclusion would depend on his preparation and which combination they thought was needed to beat the Hawks.
But he said it was pretty easy to imagine him adding value to the team.
"We think he [Cockatoo] is going to suit our system pretty well," Scott said.
"We also have a pretty good record in recent history of showing faith in our young players, even if they are relatively unproven.
"He has not played much footy. He is going to be a much, much better player in the future than he is now, but he, along with a few others, we think can help us in the short term too."
The Cats claimed Cockatoo with pick No.10 in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft.
Gregson, a small forward who was selection No.47, has had an excellent pre-season and the coach was confident he could perform on the big stage.
"His preparation has given him every opportunity to perform Easter Monday and we have not seen anything from Cory to suggest that round one is too big an occasion for him," Scott said.
The Cats are under no illusions about how tough Hawthorn will be on Monday but Scott said he was comfortable with his side's pre-season.
Recruit Mitch Clark impressed during the NAB Challenge and will play on Monday with his presence inside 50 alongside Tom Hawkins likely to make the Cats much less predictable in the forward half.
Scott knows Clark can play several roles and his chemistry with Hawkins is only likely to improve with time.
However the Cats are not creating unrealistic expectations about what Clark can deliver immediately, given he has not played a senior game since round four 2013.
"Mitch just needs to play his own game on Monday and not worry too much about external factors," Scott said.
He was not certain what ruck set-up the team would take into the game but said he was prepared to play Hamish McIntosh in the seniors despite the veteran having played only VFL practice matches in the pre-season.
Dawson Simpson played reasonably well in the NAB Challenge, while recruit Rhys Stanley will also be available for round one, although he appears more likely to suit up in Saturday's VFL practice match against Footscray.
Competition for spots will be hot among talls during 2015 with Nathan Vardy also moving closer to match practice as he recovers from a knee reconstruction.
Meanwhile, youngster Jackson Thurlow is stepping up his recovery from a lacerated kidney with the 21-year-old to feature in the VFL practice match against Footscray.
