Posted April 26, 2011 20:19:00
Geelong defender Matthew Scarlett's 250th-game celebrations could end on a sour note following a heavy clash with Hawthorn's Jordan Lewis.
Scarlett crashed into Lewis during a marking contest in the final quarter of Tuesday's AFL match at the MCG, where the Cats steadied to win an enthralling contest by 19 points in front of 78,579 fans.
Geelong are second on the ladder with a 5-0 start to the season but face a nervous wait over Scarlett's clash with Lewis, who left the field dazed and requiring medical attention for a head wound but was quickly back in action.
The AFL's Match Review Panel is also sure to scrutinise an incident in the first quarter of Tuesday's match as Hawks midfield star Sam Mitchell appeared to bump Geelong's Steve Johnson around the head region.
Injuries could also take a toll on both sides in the coming weeks. Hawthorn small forward Cyril Rioli added to his history of hamstring injuries and ended the game sitting on the bench with an ice-pack on his thigh.
Geelong's Taylor Hunt limped off in the opening term of Tuesday's game with medial-ligament damage to his knee and could be out for four weeks, coach Chris Scott says.
Scarlett said he was confident he had done nothing wrong in the clash with Lewis.
"I watched the replay and I got the ball. I had no intent (to injure)," Scarlett said.
"Hopefully the right decision gets made.
"The replay shows pretty clearly that I hit the ball."
Both sides have the bye next weekend.
Scarlett says the Cats are looking forward to taking on Collingwood in round eight on May 13 at the MCG, although they must first negotiate bottom side North Melbourne at Kardinia Park on May 7.
"We're going alright but we're not setting the world on fire," he said.
"We know we've got to improve enormously so we're just working hard and trying to catch the benchmark of the competition which is Collingwood."
Sporting a black eye, Scarlett says he's appreciating his role as a spare-parts man behind key defenders Harry Taylor and Tom Lonergan.
"Both of those guys are developing really well and it sort of allows me to play on smalls and talls and help the side wherever I'm needed," Scarlett said after collecting 29 possessions.
He said Taylor was "probably the best mark that I've ever played with" and a future club captain.
Scarlett was buoyed by the birth of his twin sons Harry and Oliver to wife Milla.
"I picked them up from hospital yesterday. I've just had a great week," the 31-year-old said.
- AAP
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