NEW CAT DESPERATE TO REPAY THE FAITH

NEW Geelong forward Cam Taheny says he is hellbent on repaying the Cats for the faith they have shown in him.

That’s not uncommon for a draftee to say, but in Taheny’s situation there is nothing common about the way he ended up at GMHBA Stadium.

Rated highly leading into the national draft, Taheny slipped through the 40s until Geelong pounced with pick 50.

But to get that selection, the Cats had to trade with Essendon, hammering home to Taheny just how keen Geelong was to get him through the doors.

“It got to those 40s, 45 (picks) and so on and the nerves really started to set in,” Taheny said. “There was a bit going on. It was last-minute and I didn’t have any idea Geelong was going to trade up.

“It gives me confidence that they have backed me and got a lot of faith in me to have a good career here. I will put in the hard yards to honour that move they made.”

The former Norwood footballer, who hails from Cleve on the Eyre Peninsula, thrived at senior level in 2019, averaging more than two goals a game from his seven appearances for the Redlegs.

He is already eyeing a spot in the forward line for Geelong’s Round 1 clash with GWS Giants.

“I’d like to, that’s the goal,” he said. “There’s a few steps and processes to go through. I want to earn the respect of the playing group and the staff and coaches first. I’ll do everything I can to put my name around the mark for Round 1 and we will see how we go.”

Taheny will be mentored by forwards coach Corey Enright this season. But there will not be any need for introductions.

The two played against each other when Taheny was a youngster when Enright returned to his home town, Kimba, for a kick in 2017.

Taheny was playing an unfamiliar role in defence on Enright when he climbed high and took a speccy over the Cats champion.

“I think there’s a bit of mayo being put on about me sitting on his shoulders, but I got a little bit of a ride,” Taheny said, laughing.

“To get the experience playing against him at my local club was definitely one thing I’ll cherish forever. To be with him now at the club, I’m looking forward to working with him.”

Enright said he was impressed with what he saw of Taheny that day.

“I think it was late in the game, I didn’t know much about him at that stage, but I think he sat on my head pretty well,” Enright told the Cats’ website.

“You could obviously tell straight away he was a natural footballer and a natural talent. I didn’t know his age until after the game.

“I had a quick chat to him after the game, I knew his mum and dad and they filled me in that he was going pretty well with his footy at that stage.”