Reports that Brandan Parfitt could be shopped around other AFL clubs has come just days after Geelong's shortcomings were exposed against Fremantle.
The calls for an overhaul to their playing list had briefly been discussed in Cats coach Chris Scott's press conference on Saturday amid the shock of the seven-point loss.
Scott did not want to "look to the future" while still in season, but readily admitted the club has staff that are set to address "the long-term future" of Geelong in due course.
The need to go back to the draft with an aggressive approach to reinvest in the under-18s Talent League ensures Parfitt is a valuable commodity to get more early picks.
The Larrakia and Warumungu man is said to be considering his future despite signing a contract extension just last year for a further two seasons until the end of 2024.
The club could look to trade out Parfitt at the end of this season before the midfielder became a free agent 12 months later to best capitalise on his value.
Teammate Esava Ratugolea is also expected to seek further opportunities elsewhere – and would also be trade bait – even though he has struggled to hold down a regular place in the Cats AFL lineup since debuting in 2018.
The pair had also appeared to be in a battle to play against Port Adelaide this week.
The loss of the versatile Mark Blicavs to injury against the Dockers had Ratugolea and Parfitt's names on Scott's lips in the same breath.
"We prefer to look at the situation that it presents opportunity," Scott said of Blicavs.
"We have some players that haven't been in our team that I am really confident are going to end up being really good players for us.
"Esava Ratugolea didn't play today – this may very well open things up for him.
"I think about Brandan Parfitt, too – he's had one of those years, but maybe this is the chance for guys like that to come in, have an influence to help turn it around for us."
But the proud Territorian was overlooked, settling as one of four emergencies, despite coming off a 40-possession match in the VFL, all the while Ratugolea got the nod first and was named at full back.
It left Parfitt in football's purgatory to remain in the reserves and do it all over again because Scott's phrase that the 25-year-old has played out "one of those years", does not sound promising.
The mention was recognition of the fact that Parfitt has been limited to just five paltry AFL appearances in 2023.
One veteran journalist recently referred to the lack of game time as a "mystery", just as his career has slid from a first-choice midfielder to an on-the-fringe selection.
This comes after Parfitt won the final spot available in the 2022 premiership team due to an injury to Max Holmes before struggling to score consecutive games until rounds 9 to 11 this year and then being omitted again in an underwhelming Cats' season.
Despite most past seasons enduring one injury or some other setback, Parfitt's games' tally has always lined up consistently since his 2017 debut and tallied up 15, 19, 20, 18, 23 and 17 games before struggling to count them on one hand this year.
The injuries have mounted up in recent years after Parfitt had been forced to undergo surgery on the same hand twice.
He was sidelined for nearly two months in both 2020 and 2022, in addition to having gone under the knife during the post-season.
The time of the last appearance leaves concern over Scott's view of Parfitt's place in Geelong's best team this year and next year, despite the Cats' playing list containing 13 veterans that are 30 years of age or older.
