UNHERALDED defender Tom Stewart could hold the key to Geelong building a more efficient forward line in 2017, with his push for round one selection set to release Harry Taylor in attack.
The Cats have been working on Taylor's move forward through the pre-season, but coach Chris Scott conceded it would go against his "defensive bias" to go through with the switch.
The 190cm Stewart, who has been placed firmly in the frame for the round one clash against Fremantle on March 26, could be the puzzle piece the coach is looking for after arriving from the Cats' VFL team as a mature-age recruit.
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The loss of both Taylor, if he plays forward, and the retired Corey Enright, whose No.44 Stewart has inherited, would leave big holes in defence but Scott said the club had youngsters who could step in.
He highlighted Stewart, as well as the returning Jackson Thurlow, Tom Ruggles and 21-year-old recruit Timm House, who was drafted as a forward but played as a defender through his junior career.
"We think that while those guys haven't played a lot of AFL footy, what we've seen over the pre-season gives us a reason to have optimism that they could contribute to filling pretty big holes," Scott told AFL.com.au.
"We're not committed to Harry playing forward absolutely, but I'd be surprised if he doesn't play there more than he has.
"This may come back to my defensive bias but if you have one of the best key defenders in the game, you are giving up something to get something."
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Stewart has played in defence in each of the Cats' JLT Community Series matches, while Taylor has continually been used in attack as the club searches for a sidekick for Tom Hawkins.
Finding a foil for their power forward is important after a season in which the Cats dominated time in forward half (AFL No.1) and inside 50 differential (No.1) but lost their way in a preliminary final.
Against Sydney at the MCG, the Cats won the inside 50s by a massive margin of 32 (72-40), but lost by 37 points and Scott said going inside 50 less but with better quality would be a better balance in 2017.
"It's not the worst problem to have but it is a problem," the coach said.
"We did have games – and the last game stands out the most – where we slaughtered the opposition in inside 50s and lost convincingly.
"It speaks to effectiveness with the ball going inside and it speaks to the distribution of those players inside 50.
"We do have a big powerful key forward who attracts the ball and the opposition, but it needs to be directed to him with better quality … and if a couple of other guys can attract their fair share of the ball as well then we might be a little bit harder to defend."
