CHILLED CATS LOOK FOR HOT START
Geelong players did what they could to keep warm yesterday in what was their first practice with the bulk of the group in about two months.
YESTERDAY’S foggy and frigid morning would normally have seen the Cats diligently preparing for a Round 11 game against North Melbourne.
A growing group of players would probably have found themselves on the sidelines with injuries, while some would be hesitant to get out on the GMHBA Stadium turf for a routine training session on what was a freezing lateautumn day.
But even as some of them braved the weather in hooded jumpers and beanies, almost every Geelong player had a smile yesterday in what was their first run with the majority of the group in about two months. The footies flew and voices were loud as the Cats took on match play for the first time since the COVID-19 shutdown.
All-Australian Tom Stewart said while the Cats were focused on their Round 2 clash with Hawthorn in 17 days, he was excited to have a normal run on the track.
“I think it’s just more exciting that footy is back and it means we get to see all the boys,” Stewart said.
“That’s what I’m most excited about, just getting around each other and having a bit of fun today.”
Around the match play, Geelong worked on its defensive and offensive transition, aiming to stop opposing sides taking marks in dangerous positions on the ground.
And to get their competitive juices flowing, they held a dedicated tackling session.
Most of the playing list was on the field, with Jake Kolodjashnij moving well after recovering from a hip injury.
Wingman Jacob Kennerley worked away from the main group but appeared to run freely, while Jack Steven walked laps.
Stewart said with just over two weeks of preparation before Round 2, hitting bodies and feeling contact again was a crucial part of the build up.
“(We will do) as much game (simulation) as we can and just that contact conditioning, it’s quite important,” he said.
“I think every club is going to do it differently but I back our fitness staff and coaches to get what we need out of it.
“I think it’s going to be a fine line between getting that contact in and also being quite fresh. You can’t flog yourself too much over the next two weeks until Round 2, so it’s going to be a fine line but we will get out of it as much as we can.
“I think the next two weeks are super important but our group is just itching to get out there and have a crack. It’s going to be so different to what everyone has experienced in the AFL world, so you just have to get out of it what you can and be ready to go.”