Geelong fans could see three players in the hoops for the first time on Easter Monday after squads for the game were announced Thursday night.
Nakia Cockatoo, Cory Gregson and Mitch Clark have all been selected in the squad for the MCG blockbuster and all could be playing the first game for the Cats.
Cockatoo, pick 10 in last year’s draft, and Gregson, pick 47, have impressed the coaches over the preseason and will look to make their AFL debuts in the clash.
Cockatoo and Gregson extend contracts with the Cats
Clark, who played 97 games for Brisbane and Melbourne will look to extend his preseason form into the game.
If selected, Darcy Lang will play just his second AFL game after debuting last year against St Kilda.
When final teams are submitted on Saturday afternoon, the Cats will make at least five changes from the team that lost to North Melbourne in last year’s semi final. Mitch Brown, Travis Varcoe, Josh Walker, Jackson Thurlow and Lincoln McCarthy all played in the loss and are either no longer at the club or not in selection contention.
The Cats and Hawks match will kick off at 3.20pm on Monday at the MCG.
Listen as the experts dissect the clash with the Hawks and all the preseason action.
Cats squad
B: Rivers – Taylor - Enright
HB: Guthrie – Lonergan - Bews
C: Stokes – Selwood - Mackie
HF: Bartel – Clark - Duncan
F: Motlop – Hawkins - Johnson
R: Blicavs – Kelly - Caddy
IC: Cockatoo, Gregson, Lang, Simpson, Horlin-Smith, Smedts, Murdoch
