Chris Scott rubbishes narrative Gary Rohan is under pressure ahead of finals campaign, Geelong Cats
Geelong coach Chris Scott has issued a fiery defence of Cats forward Gary Rohan amid suggestions he is the player under most pressure heading into Saturday’s qualifying final.
Ahead of Geelong’s clash with Collingwood, Essendon great Matthew Lloyd said Rohan was the Cats player under most pressure, citing his quiet games in last year’s preliminary final loss to Melbourne and the 2020 grand final loss to Richmond.
“You want to be remembered for finals and what you did,” Lloyd told Nine’s Footy Classified.
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“Gary’s got to go into this final going, ‘Let’s focus on my pressure’. In last year’s prelim he had one touch, and the grand final before that, he had five disposals, they’re not numbers you want in a final.
“Chris Scott’s always had belief in him because of what he does do off the ball, but you’ve got to find the footy and bring that pressure.”
When the suggestion was put to Scott, he lashed out, calling the narrative “borderline silliness”.
“I don’t subscribe to that theory,” the veteran coach said.
“I think every player is a little bit different, and the art of coaching is trying to push the right buttons.
“Lloydy probably mentioned the thing that we rate about him the most. We think he is a great foil for Hawkins and Cameron. He’s a difficult match-up if the opposition give him too much space, and his pressure is elite.
“Having said that, I just don’t buy that there’s pressure on him. I don’t think anyone who knows footy is thinking, ‘For Geelong to win, Gary Rohan has got to dominate’.
“He did a hammy (in last year’s one-touch performance). Even the numbers you put up there – they’re pretty tight.
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“It’s a good question to ask me live on TV because I get a bit defensive of my players and I’ll wear that as a badge of honour, but I think it’s borderline silliness to highlight a player who none of you would have in the top 15 players in our team and say he’s the one under the most pressure.”
Rohan has endured an interrupted 2022 season, playing just nine matches, but has kicked multiple goals in three of his last four outings.
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