Geelong’s round nine clash with Richmond gave the Cats an opportunity to show off plenty of their young talent, under the bright Friday night lights at the MCG.

A number of players earned their opportunity on the back of some impressive VFL form in 2023, gaining valuable experience against a strong opposition in Richmond.  

Despite the loss, veteran Cat Isaac Smith said there were plenty of positives to focus on.

“It was good to see, we had a lot of new guys out there,” Smith told K rock Football.

“Jhye Clark held himself really well when he got his opportunity in the centre.

"I thought Tanner Bruhn was really impressive in that second half, and Max Holmes was probably our best player in the first half.

"There were some positive signs out of it.”

Smith is one of the few Geelong players to feature in every game so far in 2023, averaging over 20-disposals per game to add some valuable experience around a younger midfield core.

The Cats entered the clash against Richmond with seven changes from the team that took the field in round one, including eight premiership players that missed through injury and suspension.

The reigning Norm Smith Medallist said that the Cats put in a good effort, despite missing some key personnel.

“I thought the game looked the way we wanted it to; we just didn't convert. Us missing shots early opened the game up for them." 

"We were probably missing certain players on our list who play certain roles. We've been hit pretty hard lately, I'm not sure how many we have out exactly but I think we only had six available in the VFL this week. 

"Ultimately, we're disappointed we didn't get it done, but that is a factor.”

Smith joined Geelong in 2021, enjoying a successful first two seasons that culminated in his Norm Smith Medal winning performance in the 2022 Grand Final.