Intrigue continues to surround Geelong's ruck set-up for their AFL elimination final clash with Melbourne, with Rhys Stanley a notable absentee for the Cats' final training session.
Stanley has been battling a calf injury leading into Friday night's game and he was nowhere to be seen when Chris Scott put his charges through their paces at GMHBA Stadium on Wednesday.
The session was closed to watching media after 30 minutes, with the Cats remaining tight-lipped about the reason for the ruckman's absence or whether he joined the group after reporters left.
Stanley has been sidelined since round 21 when he suffered a recurrence of a calf injury sustained in round 19.
Scott told reporters on Monday he would take a no-risk approach at the selection table for the must-win final.
"If there's enough doubt there we just won't play him ... it's not a complicated equation for us," he said of Stanley.
"... The odds are probably against him."
Stanley's continued absence would leave Ryan Abbott, in just his fourth AFL match, to contend with All Australian ruckman Max Gawn.
Spearhead Tom Hawkins was unable to shed any light on the Cats' ruck situation at a press conference before the final training run.
But he backed Abbott who, at 27, will at least be able to hold his own physically against Gawn.
"Ryan is quite an amazing story really," Hawkins said.
"He's going into his first finals series as a mature-age (recruit).
"He's a Geelong boy who is quiet about the way he goes about his football ... it's a great opportunity for him against arguably the competition's best player.
"(Gawn) will pose a challenge but one that our ruckmen are capable of (meeting)."
