Reid Oval in Warrnambool is a four minute drive from Saint Joseph’s Primary School where George Stevens first laid his eyes on visiting AFL footballers.
As a keen footy fan, Stevens would stare at his heroes with wide eyes, the same look he got when he went back to his old stomping ground at St.Joey's this week as part of the Cats’ visit to Warrnambool for the annual Community Camp.
Stevens, who joined the Cats after being taken with a fourth round selection, 58th overall, at the 2023 NAB AFL Draft, said he has never forgotten the impact the players can have in the community.
“I remember sitting there as a kid and having Geelong players come along and being a real footy fan I was as a kid, it was a pretty cool experience,” he said on Tuesday.
“So, to now be on the other end of it, it's really awesome and I think that it just shows, having been in that position before, how grateful I am to be in this position and the impact we can have on young kids is pretty cool.
“It will just be very cool to get back and experience that from the other side.”
As a local, Stevens' phone lit up on the first morning of camp, with more than a few players reaching out for the inside word on the best coffee in town.
The 18 year old inside midfielder has found a home off the field in Geelong, having moved in with fellow first year player, Mitch Edwards, and is increasingly finding his way on the field as well.
“It's certainly been a challenge,” he said.
“It would be wrong to say that it hasn't been a step up, I think everything just gets a bit quicker and that’s what we've spoken about, and we're so lucky that I was drafted with six other guys so we chat a lot, bounce ideas off each other.
“We’re working really close with our development coaches in Nigel Lappin and ‘Harry’ Corrigan, developing our games that allow us to then perform with that extra speed and the bigger bodies and things like that.
“I feel as though we're all working really well together, and as best I can I'm trying to adapt my game to that level.”
The Cats travel to Ikon Park next Thursday in a match simulation, before hosting the Bombers at GMHBA Stadium as part of the AFL Community Series.
