COOPER Stephens will make his AFL debut when the Cats clash with the Giants in Round 8 at Manuka Oval on Saturday.

Stephens was selected with pick 16 in the 2019 draft from the Geelong Falcons.

The 21-year-old has been a standout for the Bendigo Bank Cats in the VFL this season, most recently playing a starring role with 24 disposals and six clearances in Geelong's win against Williamstown last weekend.

The Colac product was in the sauna when he received a missed call from coach Chris Scott before calling back and receiving the good news.

"When I found the news out it was a mixture of excitement and nerves but that has settled down now and it is all starting to sink in, so it's very exciting at the moment," Stephens told geelongcats.com.au.

Stephens' parents were close to tears when he told them he was playing this week and he's excited for what's to come after overcoming many setbacks in his first three years at the Club.

"I think they were both very excited and very proud. It has been a long time coming, lots of ups and downs and they've rode the downs more than I have so it meant a lot to them.

"They are super proud and I am really happy I get to share this moment with them." 

Patrick Dangerfield returns to the senior lineup for the first time since Round 5 and it's a timely inclusion with skipper Joel Selwood, Shaun Higgins and Max Holmes to miss through injury.

"What we've tried to explain a little bit over the last week or two is that we're pursuing a policy, particularly with our more experienced players that we get them in a position through their training that they're ready to come in and perform at their best," senior coach Chris Scott said at Wednesday's press conference.

"Pat, over a period of weeks with a couple of quite serious corks, just wasn't able to train, [and] was playing under duress. It made it clearer for us that the right decision for him and for the team longer term was to get that right and come back when he's ready to play really well which we think is this week." 

Quinton Narkle and Francis Evans round out the inclusions for the Cats and will play their third and second AFL games in 2022 respectively.

Luke Dahlhaus (medi-sub) and Oliver Dempsey have been omitted.

Sitting 4-3 after last week's narrow three-point loss to Fremantle, the Cats will be eager to return to winning ways in Saturday's 4.35pm clash in Canberra.

Geelong will name its medical substitute an hour prior to the first bounce.

Milestone Alert

Chris Scott has coached 183 wins from 267 games, requiring one more win to tie Reg Hickey's Club record of 184 wins (304 games).

Patrick Dangerfield requires two goals to reach 150 goals for each of his two clubs (163 goals for Adelaide Crows, 148 goals for Geelong).

Cooper Stephens will make his AFL debut after being taken with pick 16 in the 2019 NAB AFL draft. Recruited from the Geelong Falcons. 

Round 8 Team

INS: Patrick Dangerfield, Quinton Narkle, Francis Evans, Cooper Stephens

OUTS: Joel Selwood (Injured), Shaun Higgins (Injured), Max Holmes (Injured), Luke Dahlhaus (Medi-Sub), Oliver Dempsey (Omitted)

NEW: Cooper Stephens (Debut)

GEELONG has bounced back from a rare home loss last start with a 12.16 (88) to 4.11 (35) win against Greater Western Sydney at Manuka Oval on Saturday.

The result is a setback for the Giants after finding some form in their 59-point victory over Adelaide last week, but now sit with their backs against the wall again with just two wins from eight rounds.

GIANTS V CATS Full match coverage and stats

Little separated the sides through the first half, with the Cats tall targets of Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins being enough to take Geelong to half-time 20 points up.

The third term started as a stalemate with GWS wasteful in front of goal with Jesse Hogan missing two simple set shorts from close range. 

Geelong made the Giants pay with two quick goals from Cameron and Tyson Stengle as the Cats extended its lead to 32-points at the final change.

Harry Himmelberg kicked the first goal of the fourth quarter but a quick answer from Zach Guthrie stopped any chance of a comeback as the Cats romped away to a convincing victory.

Rhys Stanley was a late out for the Cats leaving Mark Blicavs to shoulder most of the ruckwork, and while he didn't dominate hitouts against the bigger Braydon Preuss, he more than made up for it around the ground.

Stanley's replacement Zach Guthrie played arguably his best game, finishing with 23 disposals, 12 marks and a goal, while big brother Cameron grabbed 25 touches and Mitch Duncan stood above all with 33 disposals at 85 per cent efficiency. 

Tyson Stengle proved his stunning round one club debut was no fluke, kicking three goals from 20 touches and Cameron finished with five majors.

Toby Greene always presented as the Giants' most dangerous forward but couldn't get enough of the ball to do much damage.

Hogan had his chances but finished with 1.3 from chances that deserved a better return, while the midfield got plenty of the ball but failed to help their forwards hit the scoreboard.

A lukewarm homecoming for a former favourite

Jeremy Cameron has only faced his former team once before Saturday and that was in last year's semi-final played in a locked-down Western Australia, so this game was the first time Giants fans had a chance to give their former hero a few well-formed Bronx cheers. And they tried, but three goals to Cameron in the opening term quietened the Orange Army's voice. Not surprisingly the Cats key forward leads all-comers for goals at Manuka Oval, with his eventual haul of five taking his total to 55 at the ground. Toby Greene has 36 and sits second on the list.

Two more native Cats are released

Geelong played two debutants on Saturday, both of them from the club's local region and both impressive in their first runs. Colac boy Cooper Stephens was named in the starting 22 and looked comfortable from his first possession, finishing the match with 19 disposals and four clearances . After two COVID and injury-interrupted seasons on the list since being taken as a first-round selection in the 2019 draft, the big-bodied midfielder should find a lot more opportunities coming his way as the club looks to regenerate. Teenager Mitch Knevitt was named as medi-sub but only had to wait till the second term before getting his chance. A 193cm mid from Grovedale, Knevitt had seven disposals for the term and 16 for the match, also looking more than capable at the level.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY:   2.2    3.5     3.9     4.11 (35)
GEELONG                                     4.3    6.7    8.11    12.16 (88)

GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Greene 2, Himmelberg, Hogan
Geelong: Cameron 5, Stengle 3, Close, Z.Guthrie, Hawkins, Narkle

BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Cumming, Whitfield, Ward, Green, Taranto,
Geelong: Duncan, Cameron, Blicavs, C.Guthrie, Stengle, Z.Guthrie

LATE CHANGES
Greater Western Sydney: None
Geelong: Rhys Stanley replaced in selected side by Zach Guthrie

MEDICAL SUBS
Greater Western Sydney: Matt de Boer
Geelong: Mitch Knevitt, replaced Jed Bews in the second quarter