TOM Stewart is ready to embrace pre-season with renewed energy after recovering from a Lisfranc injury that saw him miss the end of last season.
The 28-year-old returned to the Club in an official capacity on Monday as Geelong’s full AFL playing list returned for the start of pre-season.
“I’ve had probably only one session in 50 that I’ve pulled up sore from. So, in terms of my preparation and the way I am feeling I am super confident that I’ve done the work now,” Stewart said.
“I am ready to go, and I am excited by seeing a full pre-season and just being back around the group has been fantastic for me and for my mindset.”
Stewart had a sensational season in 2021 winning his first Carji Greeves Medal and receiving a third All Australian blazer despite a stint on the sidelines.
Despite those accolades Stewart isn’t putting a ceiling on what he can achieve this year.
“I have just come back with a real sense of enjoyment and spark for football again."
“I’ve felt like it has been a long process and been quite tough at times being isolated from the group, but I am just ready to come back, have fun and put my best foot forward again.
“I am learning again from a lower level, and I am just going to try to absorb and be the best player that I can every day.
“It was pretty awesome to win the best and fairest and I am not going to set any limitations on what I can do this season.”
When Stewart stepped foot back inside GMHBA Stadium on Monday it felt like the ‘first day of school’ with so many new faces including James Kelly, Matthew Egan and Shannon Byrnes who form part of Geelong’s new-look coaching setup.
“They’ve come back with a real sense of excitement, a real sense of purpose and they’ve driven that with the young boys, and now we are ready to get stuck in as a senior group, start the challenge and start to grow and develop a bit more.”
Those new voices are already having a positive influence within the group and there’s a real sense of excitement for what’s to come as they grow together.
“We’ve got some new eyes coming in and new voices that are going to influence us in different ways and I think you’ll see an exciting brand of football from Geelong.”
“There’s a real sense of excitement and anticipation for what we can achieve. Not only personally but collectively, we are not putting any limits on what we can achieve.
Some of that excitement stems from the way Geelong’s first to four-year players have approached the start of pre-season.
“They’ve been in here and they’ve shown they are keen and hungry and that’s really exciting for us.
“I just think for them they need to understand it may not happen week one, two or three but they will get a chance and we will need to call on some of them at some point or another, and hopefully it’s week one and some boys are saying straight away ‘pick us’ because that’s how we are going to get better.”
Whilst many hard training sessions remain between now and Round 1, Stewart is looking forward to Geelong’s season opener against Essendon at the MCG.
“We are excited for a new season and hopefully a season in front of Victorian and Geelong footy fans. They’ve been starved the past few years and we’re excited to get in front of them and play in front of the Geelong faithful and put on a show.”
“The traditional time slot, 2.10pm at the ‘G on a Saturday, it doesn’t get much better.”
