Mannagh bullish as Cats prepare for Saints test

Geelong forward Shaun Mannagh says the Cats remain confident they can reignite their season despite suffering five losses from their past six games.

Fresh from one of the best performances of his AFL career, Mannagh collected 33 disposals and kicked four goals in Geelong’s 13-point loss to Greater Western Sydney after the Giants erased a 39-point second-half deficit.

The loss was made even tougher by injuries to Jeremy Cameron, Jack Henry and Tanner Bruhn, leaving the Cats with just one fit player on the interchange for much of the final quarter.

Cameron has since been ruled out for an extended period after suffering a broken collarbone. The star forward will undergo surgery this week and could miss the remainder of the season.

Speaking on The Run Home with Worlo & Moons on SEN Geelong, Mannagh said the playing group was disappointed but remained confident it could quickly turn its form around.

“I think a lot of people are going to look at our last six weeks and see there’s a bit of failure, but we’ve been in all those games and had chances to win all six,” Mannagh said.

Mannagh said losing three key players during the Giants clash had a significant impact, both through reduced rotations and the disruption to Geelong’s structure.

“You lose those rotations, but it’s also the players that you lose. They were pivotal for us in the first three quarters,” he said.

“Other people have got to sacrifice what they’re doing to cover those roles and unfortunately for us on the weekend it didn’t work out.”

The Cats return home to GMHBA Stadium on Thursday night to face St Kilda in what shapes as a crucial clash for their finals hopes.

Despite their recent results, Mannagh said there was still plenty of belief inside the club.

“We’re quite bullish and confident that we can get going again,” he said.

“We’re still going. We just need to turn those losses into wins and get back up the ladder where we want to be.”

With Cameron unavailable, Mannagh said Geelong’s VFL players had given selectors plenty to consider.

He praised first-year forward Jesse Mellor for an outstanding debut season and key forward Jye Polkinghorne, who kicked five goals in the VFL at the weekend, as players pressing their claims.

Mannagh also said Gryan Miers was building strongly after returning through the VFL and looked ready to make an impact again at AFL level.

“He’s playing good footy and I believe he’s confident in his body now as well,” Mannagh said.

A big home crowd at GMHBA Stadium could provide the perfect backdrop for the Cats to halt their slide and keep their finals campaign on track against the Saints.