Geelong is rolling in 2024, undefeated in the first three games of the season following a 36-point Easter Monday win over Hawthorn.
While the big names at the Cattery continue to perform with the likes of Tom Stewart, Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron remaining at the top level, it has been the next generation of young Cats catapulting the team back into the winners’ column following last season’s premiership-defence blunder.
With the likes of Tanner Bruhn, Max Holmes, Jhye Clark, Oliver Dempsey and Sam De Koning playing such a high level of footy, it begs the conversation; have the Cats done it again?
Garry Lyon and Tim Watson certainly believe so, with big praise for the Cats’ next generation on SEN’s Breakfast this morning.
Lyon: “I will tell you what I loved about Geelong… the baton has been passed.
“Tanner Bruhn’s first half was unbelievable. Jhye Clark through the middle of the ground, looks like he’s more at home.
“Then you’ve got (Oliver) Dempsey and then you’ve got Ollie Henry (who has) taken responsibility for (James) Sicily.
“(Max) Holmes at half-back… they’ve done it again the Cats. They just keep them coming through.
Watson: “(Brad) Close… they’ve got very, very good, well-defined role players in that team, and they’ve got a bit of extra speed and ball movement.
“Jeremy Cameron makes it very difficult… there’s a couple of really strong parts to their game that are hard to stop.
“I haven’t even spoken about Tom Stewart and what he can do.”
Bruhn led the Cats with 27 touches to go with five tackles in Monday’s lightning-interrupted win, alongside Holmes who collected 23 touches and a goal off half-back, Dempsey who had 22 disposals with seven tackles and Ollie Henry with four goals.
The new-look Geelong is set to take on the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night in the upcoming Gather Round.