Geelong has made three changes for the side to take on Richmond this Saturday at the MCG.

Tom Lonergan will return from a concussion and will be joined Dawson Simpson and forward Shane Kersten.

Mitch Clark (foot), Rhys Stanley (soreness) and Nakia Cockatoo (omitted) are out of the side that lost to North Melbourne by 16 points last Sunday.


Geelong Cats General Manager of Football Steve Hocking said the club was being ultra precautionary with Stanley and Clark.

"Mitch is a player we view as a long term player for the club so after his foot pulled up sore following the Kangaroos game we decided to not take the risk in the short-term." Hocking said.

"With Rhys having such an interrupted preseason we felt it important to manage his loads with a cautious eye this early in the season."

"The good news is there is no significant issue with either player."

The match will be Mark Blicavs’ 50th for the club after debuting in round one, 2015.

Cats side:

B: Taylor, Rivers, Bews

HB: Kelly, Lonergan, Enright

C: Motlop, Selwood, Duncan

HF: Lang, Kersten, Johnson

F: Gregson, Hawkins, Murdoch

R: Blicavs, Horlin-Smith, Guthrie

IC: Caddy, Simpson, Thurlow, Walker

EMG: Cockatoo, Gore, Smedts

 

Richmond side:

B:  Astbury, Batchelor, Rance
HB:  Houli, Vlastuin, Chaplin
C:  B. Ellis, Cotchin, McIntosh
HF:  Morris, Edwards, Miles
F:  Riewoldt, Lloyd, Vickery
R:  Maric, Martin, C. Ellis
IC:  Grigg, Newman, Hunt, Lennon
Em:  Grimes, McDonough, Arnot

In:  Newman, Chaplin, Vickery, C. Ellis, Lennon
Out:  Gordon (quadriceps), Griffiths (calf), Drummond (knee), McDonough, Arnot

New:  Corey Ellis, 18, 184cm, 76kg, inside midfielder from Keilor/PEGS/Western Jets.  Richmond’s first pick (No. 12 overall) in the AFL’s 2014 National Draft