SEN’s Dwayne Russell was blown away after viewing a Geelong pre-season session last week.
While most don’t get to view the Cats’ behind-closed-doors sessions, Russell was lucky enough to get access to GMHBA Stadium to watch them train.
Coming off a premiership, the Cats are hoping to improve again, and Russell says it was “ridiculous” how efficient and professional Chris Scott’s side looked.
“I had to get a security guard let me in to head up the right lift and go in the right entrance,” Russell told SEN Afternoons.
“I can tell you last night (last Thursday), it was ridiculous, they were efficient.
“It was a very professional session, they really used their time well.”
With the remaining squad from last season a well-oiled machine, Russell kept a close eye on the club’s draftees and recruits and he says trade acquisition Ollie Henry was “the standout by a mile” across the whole squad.
Having played primarily as a forward at Collingwood, reports have suggested Henry has been trialled in defence and Russell loved what he saw from the 20-year-old and some of his other young teammates.
“Ollie Henry was the standout,” Russell said.
“Jhye Clark looked good, the kid they picked up in the draft and I thought Ollie Dempsey looked well for a lot of it.
“They tried Max Holmes in the middle for a lot of centre bounces and they rotated a few guys through there – when Jhye Clark was in there he just kept getting it.
“Danger was there for quite a bit and he hasn’t missed a beat, he backed into a few packs, and I thought, ‘Why are you doing that?’, but that’s the sort of commitment if you’re going to be a prospective captain that you need to show.
“They were pretty good, but Ollie Henry was the standout by a mile.”
Having played last season on a wing, David King expects Max Holmes to make a bigger impact in 2023 as he spends more time at the coal face as he expects the Cats to be “hard to beat” again.
“Max Holmes in as a centre bounce midfielder will probably make the biggest impact on their midfield,” King said.
“Joel Selwood has obviously retired, what that costs off-field we won’t know for some time, but on-field wow, they’re going to be hard to beat again this year there’s no doubt about that.”
Geelong open their 2023 campaign with a Round 1 clash against Collingwood at the MCG on March 17.