IF THE Geelong match committee went to Ballarat yesterday searching for answers to Friday night's pumping from Collingwood, it would have emerged with great optimism.

For the first time in more than a season, attention switched to see how the Cats' fringe players would respond, knowing one disciplined performance could see them promoted back into the AFL.

Typically, it was Shannon Byrnes, Max Rooke, Shane Mumford and Brent Prismall who all reminded the Cats' hierarchy of their intentions to break back into Geelong's AFL team.

Although the VFL Cats dropped the bundle in the second half and succumbed to North Ballarat by 31 points, it was the determined performances of the next-in-line Cats that really counted.

When asked if there was anything his side would take out of the second-half fade out, coach Leigh Tudor was quick to isolate the standout efforts of Byrnes and Rooke.

"I thought Shannon and Max were fantastic for us today," Tudor said last night.

"Max won lots of his own ball as a midfielder, which was really good, and he attacked as a defender as well, so I thought Max was outstanding all game for us.

"Shannon did really well today. He ran hard, got 36 touches, used his pace and he kicked three goals, so he was the dominant player for us today.

"He comes to play," Tudor said. "He's a professional footballer - every week he comes ready to play."

Rooke, rotating off half-back and through the midfield, was at his rugged best, breaking open packs and charging through the midfield as he picked up 29 disposals and seven clearances.

The gutsy defender said he relished the opportunity to have a free rein through the midfield, which enabled him to win his own ball around the ground.

"In the seniors I've been used in a few different positions and it was good today to just go in and have a crack, changing half back and midfield and spending more time out there, which was good," he said.

Rooke singled out the performances of Byrnes and Prismall, declaring that both had made legitimate cases for a senior recall.

"Prissa and Shannon, in particular, were awesome," he said. "They have been for most of the season, especially Prissa all year - he hasn't played a bad game.

"Prissa has been getting tagged every week, so he's been awesome.

"(Shannon) worked really hard today and he was awesome again today, so he won't be far off getting a game in the ones I reckon as well."

Tudor would not speculate what players had a chance of of being named in this week's AFL squad to take on Carlton at the Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

"They've played good footy today and anybody who played well over the last few weeks was always in contention, so they've put their hands up again," he said.