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Geelong coach Chris Scott says the Cats are always interested in securing great players but has refused to say whether he has made contact with Essendon midfielder Zach Merrett about a potential trade.
The Cats are pursuing the Giants’ unrestricted free agent Toby Greene, who is yet to re-sign, and are one of several clubs that have made it clear to restricted free agent Zak Butters he would be welcome to join them if he decided to leave Port Adelaide.
The Cats have monitored Merrett for many years, but Seven reported on Monday night that Scott had made direct contact with the 30-year-old, who tried to join Hawthorn last trade period to ensure he considered the Cats as an option.
Scott was asked for his response to the report at his media conference on Tuesday.
“There is no response. There are [the club’s] private and confidential conversations and thoughts and hypotheticals … I apologise to Marcus Bontempelli but if someone said there is a one in a million chance he might come and play with the Cats, I would explore it,” Scott said.
“So in that context I don’t think it is very interesting even if it is true to say, ‘hey, apparently the Cats are considering a really good player from another team’. That is incumbent on you as part of your job.”
Merrett has a year to run on his contract and is considered likely to request a trade at season’s end. Hawthorn are again considered frontrunners for his services.
The Cats have more immediate concerns as they look to get back on the winners’ list when they play St Kilda at GMHBA Stadium on Thursday night.
They will be without Jeremy Cameron as he undergoes surgery on his injured AC joint but will welcome back Gryan Miers after another strong performance from him in the VFL.
Jack Henry (throat) and Tanner Bruhn (neck) went to hospital as a precaution on Saturday night after the Giants game and remain in doubt for the match while Mark O’Connor, who was a late withdrawal for the game, faces a fitness test.
Scott said the team would not dwell on the negatives from their run of losses but take heart from the fact they were able to dominate patches of games against quality opposition.
He said the main issue was their inability to take advantage of periods of control on the scoreboard with the lack of cohesion in the forward line an obvious factor.
“The biggest issue, in our opinion at least – obviously the opposition scoring is always a problem when that happens – is we just haven’t been able to put the foot down when we have had control of games,” Scott said.
Geelong have beaten all top six teams except Hawthorn this season but a loss to St Kilda would make it four losses in a row for just the second time in Scott’s illustrious coaching career.
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