Geelong's first to fourth year players were back on track today, kicking off the pre-season as the Cats gear up for a big 2025 campaign.
After being selected last week, the Cats new draft crop joined the likes of Max Holmes and Ollie Dempsey on Monday, with all players put through their paces to commence training.
Among those returning today was Shaun Mannagh, who is ready to attack his second year with Geelong after a successful debut season in 2024.
Mannagh joined Cats Media after the opening session today, talking through his approach to the pre-season as he looks to take his game to new heights in 2025.
"Going at it like a bull out a gate really, I am ready to have a full pre-season," Mannagh said.
"In your first year you get held back a little bit pre-Christmas, this year it will be a pretty short turnaround after Christmas before games start.
"We are raring to go now, I would love to play every game next year and that is the goal.
"If I can set myself up now and for the rest of the pre-season that would be good."
Hitting the track for the first time in the Hoops were Geelong's new draftees, after all seven players were selected across three days of the AFL draft last week.
In the National draft the Cats recruited Jay Polkinghorne (Pick 44), Jacob Molier (Pick 52), Lennox Hofmann (Pick 66) and Keighton Matofai-Forbes (Pick 69).
Geelong added three more players in the Rookie Draft on Friday including Xavier Ivisic, Patrick Restschko and Joe Pike.
Mannagh said it is exciting to welcome the new recruits to the club, after he went through the process himself last year.
"It was good to meet the new draftees this morning, they were in nice and early doing a bit of screening and things like that.
"They will be bright eyed, they have their Academy camp the next two nights so it will be nice to get to know them a bit better.
"It will be good to hear about their background and their journey, it is really exciting to see them out their today.
"I was in their shoes last year, it is full on your first few days and you try to embrace everything through these moments."
