Geelong’s first pick in the 2021 NAB AFL Draft, Toby Conway, was “really good” in his first taste of VFL football on the weekend according to Cats coach Shane O’Bree.
The promising young tall’s career suffered an early setback when he went down with a hip complaint during the pre-season, but O’Bree said his first hit out in the hoops was impressive.
“Conway was really good in the ruck,” O’Bree told K rock Football on the weekend. “His judgment and ruck craft was a bit off at times, but I thought he worked into the game really well.
“His ability around the ground to position well and compete down the line or behind the ball (was great).
“What we love about ‘TC’, his follow-up work and the pressure he puts on, is pretty impressive for a big guy.”
At 205cm and already 100kgs, the 19-year-old had a game-high 24 hit outs (10 to advantage), and stood tall in the final stages of the game, winning a critical contest deep in Geelong’s defensive zone before bobbing up at the other end of the ground to take a pack mark and effectively icing the game for the Cats.
With fellow big man Shannon Neale also chipping in with five majors, the form of Geelong’s young talls at the state level will be welcomed by the Cats coaching group with key big men Rhys Stanley, Esava Ratugolea, and Jonathon Cegler all battling injury.
The former Geelong Falcon was taken with the 24th pick in the 2021 draft.
