SHOULD Geelong bring forward an announcement on the futures of its veterans so they can get a farewell game this weekend? Addy Footy Fix scribes NICK WADE and MICHAEL AUCIELLO push their cases for and against — have your say in our poll below.

NICK WADE — YES

IF Geelong knows which veterans will be moved on at season’s end, they should be named and celebrated this weekend against Adelaide.

It would be a bleak end to the careers of these champions if their fate was revealed one afternoon in the coming weeks by a press release containing a few manufactured quotes.

With nothing but pride to play against the Crows, this weekend presents an unplanned opportunity for the Cats to honour the legacies of a number of premiership players whose time at the club is up.

media_camera Mathew Stokes should be recalled from the VFL.

If Mathew Stokes has been told his time is up, he needs to be recalled from the VFL and given one last hurrah at AFL level.

If James Kelly isn’t part of the plans for next year, that needs to become public so he can soak up his moment in the sun before parting ways with the club.

With Geelong’s finals chances dead, the Cats have an opportunity to be sentimental in the way it exits its premiership champions.

This opportunity wasn’t possible in the days when the club was playing deep into the finals for obvious reason.

“We’ll announce it when we think the right time is,” Geelong coach Chris Scott said.

Scott said the Cats’ large group of uncontracted players fell into three groups — some know they’re staying, some know they’re going and some know their fate is still undecided.

“It’s going to be brutal. I feel so bad because I know it is difficult for them,” Scott said.

“I’ve heard people say that you should not get too emotionally attached, and on some levels the head coach has to be a little bit removed, but I don’t mind saying publicly I love them. Some of them I played against, and I can’t think of people in the game that I respect more.”

With that being the case, there is no need to delay the inevitable if the club’s mind is already made up.

MICHAEL AUCIELLO — NO

THERE is no need for Geelong to hurry decisions on its veterans, particularly just for the sake of fans wanting to wave and say goodbye this weekend.

If you think it might be the last time you see Corey Enright, Steve Johnson or James Kelly on a footy field, then just go anyway. Cheer them off and say thank you.

No one in this recent era has announced their retirement before the end of the season.

That’s either because they were trying to win a premiership, or didn’t necessarily want to retire.

Has it mattered?

Part of the balancing act in the decisions of these players is what Geelong can get in during the trade and free agency periods.

Considering they are at least a month away, why should Geelong be expected to hurry any decisions on these players?

What happens if, at the last minute, Patrick Dangerfield decides he doesn’t want to come to Geelong; or a trade can’t be struck for Lachie Henderson?

That might be unlikely, but crazier things have happened.

Where would that leave Geelong, having already prematurely farewelled players it actually thinks could well play on for another season, and suddenly would actually have room for them?

Many Cats fans bleated for a long time about the decision made on Paul Chapman. Imagine how much more outcry there would be if that had been a hurried decision.

The decision was made when the club could decide when the dust had settled on the season, and the landscape for what lay ahead was clearer.

The same should be done for these veterans this year.

They have been great servants, and as nice it would be for them to get the send-off they have earned, they deserve the respect of proper and patient decisions made on their futures.

STAY OR GO?

JIMMY BARTEL: Will play on and potentially become the club’s fourth 300-game player.

COREY ENRIGHT: Sentimentally, it would be magic if he played on next year to become the club’s games record holder. Will be left to decide his future. But is more than likely playing his last game on Saturday.

ANDREW MACKIE: Set for another season. The Cats have said he is in their plans for 2016.

STEVE JOHNSON: No formal decision but the gut feel is he will part ways. The Paul Chapman situation all over again. Definitely an argument for one more season playing as a deep forward. If not at the Cats, then somewhere else.

JAMES KELLY: Appears gone. Looked like a defeated man on Friday night, which was sad after an otherwise solid season despite regular injuries.

MATHEW STOKES: Gone. In and out of the side in the second half of the year. Hit career-best form in 2013 but hasn’t been the same since injuring his ankle last year.

TOM LONERGAN: Contracted and will play. No doubt here.