Young big man Esava Ratugolea couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he faced the first media pack of the 2019/20 pre-season on Tuesday morning at GMHBA Stadium.

While veterans Patrick Dangerfield and Mitch Duncan had been spotted on the track ahead of schedule, most the Cats’ first to four-year players returned to the club this week where the joy and promise of a fresh start was in the air.

As the ground echoed with the familiar slap of ball on boot for the first time in eight weeks, it was a very different mood to the last time the group was together last September, when the Cats season had been ended prematurely by eventual premiers Richmond.

That night, the low murmur of the post-match scene was heavy with disappointment, and as vice-captain Dangerfield spoke to the press, ever the professional, his characteristic enthusiasm was blunted by the result.

But while the 21-year-old Ratugolea’s sunny disposition contrasted with the typical grey Geelong sky behind him, there was a serious edge to the high leaping forward/ruck when talk turned to the 2020 season.

With last year’s results firmly in the rear-view mirror, he made it clear that he, and his generation of Cats, know they need to step up for the side to take the next level, and most importantly, that they are ready.

“It goes quick, this is going into my fourth pre-season, I still feel like a new guy,” he said.

“But it is time for my draft year to step up a little bit more and we’ve got the experience of a fourth pre-season, so we need to step up and bring these young blokes with us.

“The draft is coming up soon and we have to do the same with them, at least until the senior blokes start up again.”

Ratugolea kicked 15 goals in 20 games this season and is one of a number of promising young Cats coming through system who’s development will be key in supporting established veterans like Dangerfield, Duncan, Tom Hawkins, Gary Ablett and skipper Joel Selwood.

But with round one still four months away, it’s one step at a time.

“It’s just good to be back,” he said. “It’s always at that [point] late in the offseason where you just want to get back and see the boys. You get tired of training by yourself.”