Gregson’s debut year running like a dream
CORY Gregson jokes that he is waiting for someone to wake him up from a dream.
The 18-year-old would have been happy to just be considered for an AFL game this year.
Instead, the South Australian pocket rocket is one of eight Cats to have played every match after a sparkling debut season in which he has held his own in a team of champions he admired as a kid.
“I grew up idolising Jimmy Bartel and James Kelly and when they won the first premiership in 2007, they were absolutely killing it,” Gregson said. “To get a chance to train with them, let alone play with them, is just unreal.”
Gregson was a Collingwood supporter growing up but always had a soft spot for the Cats through his mum Kym’s blue-and-white allegiance.
“It’s still so surreal. Looking at Joel Selwood, Andrew Mackie, Steve Johnson, all these guys, thinking it’s a dream, thinking I’m about to wake up,” he laughed.
Gregson’s speed, compact build, tackling pressure and goalkicking ability have been a feature of his 15 AFL games.
He won a Rising Star nomination in Round 6 after kicking three goals from 18 disposals in Geelong’s impressive victory over Collingwood.
The Cats continue to monitor his workload closely and there may soon come a time when he is either “managed” or rotated down to the VFL side, as is the case with most first-year players.
But so far his body is holding up to the rigours of AFL footy.
“They’re really good at maintaining what I do throughout the week and keeping me and my body pretty safe,” he said.
“They’re very good at managing me, so that on game day I can give it my very best.”