Cameron Ling and Meg McDonald were joined by Cats vice-captain, Tom Stewart on this week's episode of 'To the Final Bell.'

They took a look at the upcoming week, ahead of Geelong's round one clash against Fremantle at GMHBA Stadium. 

See the best moments below from the first episode of 2025. 

Opening Round takeaways and learnings

(Timestamp: 4:39 – 14:05) 

Meg McDonald: "One thing I took away, didn't the key defenders dominate? I loved that, and that possibly is easier earlier in the season.

I was texting our backline coach last night and I said are we channeling James Sicily? Are we channeling Sam Taylor? Maybe Tom Barrass?

I was loving it."

Cameron Ling: "You did notice that when that intensity goes up with real football, the fatigue builds massively.

The skill errors that come with that, they just weren't quite as sharp with their skills.

Even the fumbling, taking the ball and feeling the pressure or the body contact and there was a lot of turnovers." 

45:51

Round 1 | Tom Stewart On Navigating A Unique Week

Vice-Captain Tom Stewart joined the podcast after a unique week at the club, talking though how the Cats are preparing for their first game of the year. Proudly Presented by GHMBA.

Tom Stewart joins the podcast

(Timestamp: 17:35 – 29:52) 

Tom Stewart: "I think for myself, I have been so lucky to see up close the longevity of some of my teammates and try to emulate the way that they have gone about it.

Hawkins, Selwood and Dangerfield, Harry Taylor when I first came into the league, you take little pieces of what you seem them doing and try to bring your own spin on it.

Things like yoga on a Sunday, Harry and I started doing that in 2019 so that is where I got that one from. Lachie Henderson was big on his sauna and cold therapy, so you take little pieces from champions of our club and try to put it in your own schedule.

For myself you are always still striving for the next thing, when you get stuck in your way you can get a bit laconic and tired. I try to find new little stimulants and things to go after individually, but I am just competitive. I like having a go, I like getting after it, I like training with the young boys and trying to keep up.

This has been one of the few pre-seasons where I have not missed a session, which is a real feather in my cap."

03:51

Match Sim Training Highlights | Round 1

Watch the players get put through their paces as game week for Round 1 draws closer.

Diving into the fan questions

(Timestamp: 30:27 – 44:10) 

Cameron Ling: "Where do we think Sam De Koning's best position is?

Meg McDonald: "The team needs him in the ruck at the moment, so the ruck. I think full back though. 

Cameron Ling: "I think ultimately it is going to be as a deep, key defender. But I think the time he spends in the ruck will do him some good.

As a key defender, he also perhaps can learn that his voice can be one of the biggest weapons a defender has.

In fact, the team needs that voice and the control, the general. Picture Russell Crowe in Gladiator in that scene, when he is calling out the shots and the attacks on his command. 

Meg McDonald: "Finding your voice on the field, to those that have done it probably seems easy. But it is such an assumption of power and comfort in the team to do so, it is something that you have to develop."