COOL CATS TICKLED PINK TO BE BACK ON TRACK
GEELONG players took the chance to shake off some cobwebs in skills and weights sessions with six groups of players at training yesterday as the clock ticks towards Round 2.
Working in groups of seven or eight, the teams of players were split to include a mixture of senior heads and less experienced Cats.
The groups arrived at different times, with each player having his temperature taken before he entered GMHBA Stadium.
Multiple change rooms in the stadium were used throughout the day to keep players separate and they were limited to working in zones on the turf to make sure there was no mixing.
According to Cats footy boss Simon Lloyd, players had the health of teammate Jack Steven on their mind as he recovered from a stab wound in Melbourne but were looking forward to getting back on the track.
“The players have come in this morning, they are excited,” Lloyd said.
“They are well informed on the situation with Jack but also they basically have 3½ weeks to get going and get ready for Round 2.”
All players had been limited to training with just one other person throughout the COVID-19 shutdown.
Geelong big man Esava Ratugolea said he was happy to be with his teammates at the club.
“It’s good to be back, it’s nice to be training with more than one person,” he told the club website. “It will take a bit of getting used to but it’s nice and at least we are training with the other fellas.”
The players will continue to work in groups for the rest of the week before contact training begins next week.