New faces get chance to shine

OFF-season acquisitions Jack Bowes, Tanner Bruhn and Ollie Henry will have the chance to impress Geelong’s coaching staff, with the trio to play a key role in the AFL section of Thursday’s practice match against Hawthorn.

Twenty-two days out from their season-opener, the Cats will play eight 30-minute periods against the Hawks, with players from both clubs’ AFL and VFL lists to see action.

However, it is early in the contest that Bowes (Gold Coast), Bruhn (GWS Giants) and Henry (Collingwood) will get a chance to shine.

Bowes and Bruhn will likely spend time in the midfield, while Henry can swing forward and back.

“It’s exciting to see where they’re at as individuals and how much they’ve picked up of how we play as a team,” assistant coach Shaun Grigg said.

“We understand it’s not going to be perfect – we don’t expect it to be.

“We’re looking forward to seeing what some of those guys can do.”

First-round draft pick Jhye Clark and incoming rookie quartet Osca Riccardi, Oscar Murdoch, Ted Clohesy and Irishman Oisin Mullin will also be sighted throughout the evening.

However, draftee Phoenix Foster (quad) won’t play.

Star forward Tom Hawkins and young bigs Shannon Neale and Toby Conway will be sidelined, while veteran duo Isaac Smith and Mitch Duncan will unlikely take the field.

“There’s always those conversations, particularly with our more experienced guys,” Grigg said.

“Those guys with a lot of footy behind them don’t necessarily need all the practice match minutes; they’re good with the individualised programs.”

Grigg says the reigning premier is keen, after a solid block of work since mid-January, to come up against an opponent.

“It’s only so far you can take it competing against each other when everyone knows what the other team is going to do,” he said.

“Our boys are in a pretty good position; they’ve got a good base of fitness behind them.

“They turned up in good shape, and they’re hungry to go.”

Geelong will follow the clash with the Hawks with a trip to Brisbane and a meeting with the Lions next Thursday.

The Cats open their premiership defence against preliminary finalist Collingwood at the MCG on March 17.

 

AFL	Rhys	Stanley	1
AFL	Zach	Tuohy	2
AFL	Brandan	Parfitt	3
AFL	Tanner	Bruhn	4
AFL	Jeremy	Cameron	5
AFL	Isaac	Smith	7
AFL	Jake	Kolodjashnij	8
AFL	Max	Holmes	9
AFL	Mitchell	Knevitt	10
AFL	Cooper	Whyte	11
AFL	Jack	Bowes	12
AFL	Jhye	Clark	13
AFL	Jonathon	Ceglar	15
AFL	Sam	De Koning	16
AFL	Esava	Ratugolea	17
AFL	Tyson	Stengle	18
AFL	Osca	Riccardi	21
AFL	Jed	Bews	24
AFL	Sam	Menegola	27
AFL	Ollie	Dempsey	28
AFL	Cameron	Guthrie	29
AFL	Tom	Atkins	30
AFL	Oscar	Murdoch	31
AFL	Gryan	Miers	32
AFL	Oisin	Mullin	34
AFL	Patrick	Dangerfield	35
AFL	Ollie	Henry	36
AFL	Jack	Henry	38
AFL	Zach	Guthrie	39
AFL	Ted	Clohesy	40
AFL	Mark	O’Connor	42
AFL	Tom	Stewart	44
AFL	Brad	Close	45
AFL	Mark	Blicavs	46
VFL	Brayden	Ham	47
VFL	Daniel	Capiron	50
VFL	Matty	Lloyd	52
VFL	Jack	Leonard	53
VFL	Jamie	Quick	54
VFL	Bailey	Van De Heuvel	55
VFL	Jye	Charlcraft	57
VFL	Harry	Benson	59
VFL	Lachlan	Bond	60
VFL	Marcus	Herbert	62
VFL	Benjamin	Worme	63
VFL	Thomas	Panuccio	64
VFL	Tanner	Lewis	66
VFL	Tyler	Norton	67
VFL	Tom	Feely	68
VFL	Will	Christie	71
VFL	Ben	Lloyd	74
VFL	Ryan	Eyers	75
VFL	Angus	Byrne	81

 

Image: Patrick Dangerfield in action against Hawthorn last year. (Sports Media Image/Marcel Berens)