THE FORM of veteran Gary Ablett has forced Geelong to delay his scheduled break.
Cats coach Chris Scott conceded last month the club would have to contemplate resting the 34-year-old in the coming weeks, though it is yet to put that plan into effect.
Ablett has been reinvigorated by a move forward, kicking 10 goals from six games and ranking in the top five in the competition for score involvements and goal assists.
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It's meant the dual Brownlow Medal winner's holiday, which the club has been preparing for since pre-season, has been pushed back to ensure Geelong's hot streak continues.
"It will happen at some point," Scott said on Thursday.
"There's a whole lot of data points that go into that decision. The least important is the original plan that was hatched. We've got to have a plan, but it's 10 or 12 weeks old now.
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"The information that we have now is more relevant and more important. But the message we'd like to convey – and we don't feel the need to protect it – is that Gary and a group of other players will be managed throughout the year.
We don't know exactly when that's going to be. We've got an idea, but it's coming. It would be a great problem if we get to round 21 and it still hasn't come. I think the answer then will be that things have changed. - Chris Scott on Gary Ablett 'resting'
"The best guess for me at the moment is that it will happen at some point in the year. We do have a bye round, so that factors into our thinking.
"We've got a strong history of trying to look after our players and if that weakens our team temporarily, we think that's a better mistake to make than running a guy into the ground and having him not at his best later in the year."
An in-form Geelong will be boosted further by the return of key bodies in the coming weeks.
Lachie Henderson (plantar fascia) and Scott Selwood (hamstring) will play in the VFL this weekend, while Lachie Fogarty (hip) and Jed Bews (groin) are also close to a return.
Henderson and Selwood will be on restricted duties against Essendon on Sunday.
"We're not prepared to talk publicly about how much they'll play," Scott said.
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"There will certainly be reduced game time for Scott, in particular … and maybe Lachie."
However, Nakia Cockatoo remains a while away as he recovers from a PCL injury, with Scott conceding the injury-plagued youngster will not return until the second half of the year.
"It's slow and it's a meticulously developed program," Scott said.
"The priority is him getting in really good shape before we even consider playing him."
