Geelong assistant coach James Kelly.

There was plenty to like in the Cats 2024 campaign, but the club is certainly not resting on their laurels as they look to take the next step this year. 

Geelong's season came to an end in a heartbreaking Preliminary Final loss, but with a host of new players joining the club during the off-season, the 2025 Cats are set to be a different looking outfit. 

New players like Bailey Smith and Jack Martin will look to establish themselves in the starting line-up, while intrigue surrounds those such as Max Holmes and Sam De Koning with their versatility. 

Assistant coach, James Kelly joined Daniel Harford on RSN Breakfast, touching on the Cats focus at the end of 2024 as they looked at areas for improvement in 2025. 

"The debrief last year was that we felt like we were beaten on the day by Brisbane, we had a game that wasn't our best," Kelly said. 

"We lost to the eventual premiers so there is a little bit of solace in that, but we finished the year and looked to how we can improve again.

"Bringing new players in was part of that, shifting the way we play and maximising the talents of our younger players.

"That is where we turned to pretty quickly, that has been the process through preseason of experimenting with a few things like that."

02:09

Roaming De Koning | Junior Member Clinic

Sam De Koning caught up with a few of our Junior Members to ask them some important questions of their future. Proudly Presented by Deakin University

Kelly highlighted another exciting aspect of the pre-season, which has been the emergence of the Cats new crop of draftees. 

Geelong selected eight new players between the National and Rookie drafts at the end of 2024, with all the new recruits putting their best foot forward at training. 

Kelly noted that Lenny Hofmann and Jacob Molier in particular have impressed over the pre-season, with the coaching staff bullish on what the new recruits can add in 2025 and beyond. 

02:39

Another Week On The Track | Sounds of Training

The Cats puts in another strong week of training on the track.

"They are an athletic bunch of kids, they are all absorbing training pretty well," Kelly said. 

"I have spent some a fair bit of time in the backline and Lenny Hofmann has looked really good, for a young kid he picks up the defensive systems really well and is brave in the air. He is a fair way down the line for a young defender, so we are really happy with him.

"Jacob Molier looks like a really athletic tall forward and ruck which is great.

"All of those guys and anyone that comes into the club, we let them be a part of the environment and let them enjoy their footy to see where they end up.

"They are all good kids and are willing to work, which is a great start."