In just eight games of AFL football, Esava Ratugolea endeared himself to the Geelong Cats supporter base.
His soaring leap over Patrick Dangerfield against Collingwood catapulted him both into the air and into contention as a Cats’ fan favourite.
When he crashed to the turf on Saturday night against Carlton, Geelong fans were quick to realise how rapidly Sav had become an integral part of the team and how sorely he would be missed.
With the young forward now turning his attention to his recovery after surgery last night, Geelong in turn must begin to decide how it will approach life without Sav.
Here are Geelong’s options to replace the big Cat:
Wylie Buzza
Buzza managed six games in the backend of 2017 for a return of five goals, before struggling to find a game this year with the rise of Ratugolea.
The 198cm forward has some solid VFL form, kicking 10 goals from his seven outings this year. Buzza can fill the ruck void left by Ratugolea, with his ability to pinch hit in the ruck an important plus.
Daniel Menzel
Menzel started the season with a bang, bagging 15 goals in five games before an adverse reaction to an injection put him on the sidelines.
The mercurial Cat showed he was a deep forward option with some strong contested marking to start the year and could be an option to replace Ratugolea when he is fit to return from injury.
Menzel told Footy Classified that he was ready to begin running last week and hopefully his return is coming sooner rather than later.
“We’re still getting on top of it and it’s more I guess see how the body pulls up and go from there. It’s frustrating but we’ve got to see how it reacts,” he said.
“It’s just been a pain thing that we’ve tried to manage and once that goes I hope the progression will be pretty quick.
Rhys Stanley
Many argue that Stanley’s best position is playing as a forward who rucks as opposed to a ruck who rolls forward.
Chris Scott hasn’t played Zac Smith and Rhys Stanley in the same side this year however it is an option that will come into consideration.
Playing Smith as the number one ruck with Stanley rotating between forward and the middle is something that the Cats have employed before.
Ryan Gardner
After a quiet stint in defence, Gardner was thrown forward during the weekend’s VFL win over Williamstown.
VFL coach Shane O’Bree told the Geelong Advertiser that it wasn’t the first time that the young defender had been used forward.
“He hasn’t trained there a hell of a lot, he’s played there a couple of times last year,” O’Bree said.
“He thinks he’s Tony Lockett now, but he was really good.
“Just his attitude, he embraced it. He played with enthusiasm, he enjoyed it and he looked influential when we went forward. He created a contest and went after it again so full credit to ‘Gards’ for the way he handled it.”
Gardner had 13 touches, seven marks and a goal in his time forward, but may need to string a few strong performances together before he is considered as an option.
Aaron Black
Black came into Saturday night’s side as a late inclusion for Harry Taylor after trying his hand in defence in the VFL this year.
Another swing forward may be on the cards to replace the injured Ratugolea.
The former Kangaroo showed enormous potential for North when he booted 33 goals from 18 games in 2013.
The 26-year-old followed up this breakout year with 26 goals in 2014.
Lincoln McCarthy/Gryan Miers/James Parsons
Small forwards are the flavour of 2018 after Richmond found premiership success on the back of its mosquito fleet of pressure forwards.
One option for Scott to consider would be replacing Ratugolea with a small forward and focusing on creating forward half turnovers with a forward line of smalls playing off the feet of Tom Hawkins.
Miers has kicked nine VFL goals in seven games after being picked up with selection 57 in last year’s draft, while McCarthy has successfully returned to the VFL after a long stint on the sidelines and Parsons gathered 30 disposals and kicked a goal in a return to the VFL on the weekend.
