MIDFIELD FUTURE THE CENTRE OF ATTENTION

GEELONG is confident it has the building blocks of its next great midfield in place after zeroing in on explosive midfielders during the AFL Draft.

After taking ruckman Toby Conway (24th overall pick) with their first pick, the Cats then exclusively went after on-ballers and claimed Mitch Knevitt (25), James Willis (32), Flynn Kroeger (48) and Cooper Whyte (64).

In September’s preliminary final smashing against Melbourne, Max Holmes was the only Cat under the age of 29 to play serious time in the centre of the ground.

Brandan Parfitt and Mark O’Connor were injured for that clash, while the Cats will hope to find more time in the middle for the likes of Quinton Narkle, Sam Simpson and Cooper Stephens in 2022.

Cats list boss Stephen Wells said the new batch of draftees would complement that on-ball brigade.

“We have already got some developing midfielders at the club and the guys we brought in complemented what we already have at the club,” he said. “They are a good group of players who are all different in their own way.”

To build the next modern midfield, the Cats went after players capable of playing on the inside and outside, attributes Wells linked to Knevitt, Willis, Whyte and Kroeger.

A North Adelaide youngster, Willis impressed in his work getting clear from congestion. “He is a strong bodied midfielder and a dynamic player around the contest, he gets his feet going and bursts out of stoppages,” Wells said.

Kroeger was described as a “true diamond in the rough” by talent guru Kevin Sheehan and his footy IQ stood out to the Cats recruiters in his limited NAB League game time with Eastern Ranges in the last two seasons.

“He is a real strong-bodied midfielder, has a smart footy brain and is a good ball user and his midfield traits complement what we already have at the club and the group we brought in tonight,” Wells said.

Geelong cashed in on a desperate Collingwood midway through Thursday’s proceedings, swapping pick 45 – which was used by the Pies on slider Arlo Draper – for 48 and a thirdround 2022 selection from Collingwood.

That 2022 pick will likely land in the 40s again and given the Cats had their hearts set on Kroeger, Wells said it was a “calculated” move to add to next year’s hand.

Former Geelong midfielder Charlie Constable was snapped up by Gold Coast late in the night for pick 63, raising smiles in the Cats draft room given the club delisted him in the hope he would land on a senior list elsewhere.

“There were definitely smiles in the room, everyone at the club is very, very happy for Charlie and we hope he goes well,” Wells said.