Stewart on the Cats changes heading into 2025

It would be naive of us think that we don't have to shift and pivot.

But I think we, as a club have had such consistency for a long period of time, and we understand what is it to play finals footy. In my time I have played in two Grand Finals and four Prelim's in eight years.

You do tinker at the edges, but what we value at our core and who we are as a group doesn't change that much. I think that is the biggest thing that I have learned in my career is consistency throughout, and consistency with your approach is the most important thing.

That is so well led by our coaches, we understand what makes us a great team and what our identity is. 

Stewart on the Fremantle clash this weekend

It is just that, it is a real challenge.

I have got a lot of respect for every line of their team, they have got threats all over the board.

We are really excited to come up against them in round one, they are going to be fresh and hungry.

By all reports they have had a really good pre-season, so we are excited to come up against them on our home deck. 

Stewart on his role this year

I will just play where the team needs me week by week.

The best thing in our team is our flexibility. We have added Bailey and Jack into the mix, and a lot of young players that are coming into their own with their maturity and bodies.

Our biggest advantage is the ability to throw different names through different parts of the ground, whether it be me in the midfield or whoever it may be, that is our strength. 

Stewart on the preparations for a warm Saturday afternoon

We have dealt with it all Summer, it has been one of the hottest summers that we have had down here in Geelong.

Ultimately that will prepare us for that sort of weather, but it is hot in Perth as well so they will be well versed too.

There is an array of different ways we have gone about it with heat training, sauna exposure and that sort of thing.

We were anticipating hot weather in Brisbane for the Opening Round, so we have been going through our processes and have had things instilled in us from a strength and conditioning side of things.