Former St Kilda key position player Jay Lever, St Joseph’s midfielder Kieren Paliouras and South Barwon forward Jordie Duncan have joined James Linton, Kane Leersen, Luke Bath, Cameron Tudor, Fraser Fort and Chris Lynch on the list of new recruits for the upcoming VFL season.
The three new recruits have been joined in the final squad by speedster Dane McFarlane who will return for his 2nd season at state level after playing 7 matches for the Cats in 2013. McFarlane was selected as the Cats 23rd player in the 2013 Qualifying Final and narrowly missed out on selection in the Grand Final.
McFarlane is one of 12 players who have been retained from the 2013 Geelong VFL squad.
Former Geelong Falcon Jay Lever signed on with the Cats after an impressive pre-season with the VFL Cats. Lever 20, was delisted by the Saints at the end of the 2013 season after two years at the club. In that time he played 22 VFL senior matches and 12 VFL Development League matches with the St Kilda aligned Sandringam Zebras.
The 200cm key former Geelong Falcon will line up with South Barwon when not required by the Cats.
St Joseph’s midfielder Kieren Paliouras is another former Geelong Falcon player to join the Cats with VFL experience. Paliouras, played 2 VFL senior and 25 VFL Development League matches in two seasons (2011-2012) with the Werribee Tigers. Paliouras 21, returned to his home club St Joseph’s in 2013 and was part of all –conquering GFL interleague side.
2013 GFL premiership forward Jordan Duncan will join a number of his South Barwon teammates at the Cattery. At the age of only 20, Duncan has all already played in 3 senior level premierships – two with the Horsham Demons (Wimmera Football League) & one with South Barwon. Duncan who booted 43 goals in the GFL last season is eligible to play 5 matches with the Cats as a 23rd player.
As has been the case for the past couple of seasons, the Cats have named a development squad of six players.
Brant Haintz (St Joseph’s), Tom Atkins (St Joseph’s), James Darke (Torquay), Paul Burchell (Torquay), Callen Wade (St Mary’s) and Steve Bensted (Drysdale) will all continue to train with the Cats throughout the 2014 season.
Wade was a member of last year’s development squad and went on to play 3 matches with the VFL Cats during the 2013 season before succumbing to a hip injury. Other development squad members Lachlan Howe and Dyson Bell-Warren were also elevated and played senior VFL football in 2013.
Howe who was the Cats 23rd player for the VFL Grand Final is one of four members of the 2013 squad who have signed with other VFL clubs in 2014. Melbourne based Howe recently signed with Collingwood VFL and was jojned on the list of VFL ‘transfers’ by Piers Flanagan (Sandringham Zebras), Tom Gribble (Werribe Tigers) and Sandy Robinson (Port Melbourne).
Other outgoing members from the 2013 squad are Troy Selwood (retirement), Jaxson Barham (overseas), Robert Condy (coaching – St Mary’s GFL), Dyson Bell-Warren (overseas), Jai Sheahan, Mitch Fisher and Ben Capra.
The Cats first official practice match is on Friday the 7th of March against the North Ballarat Roosters at 3,40pm. The match will be a curtain raiser to the Geelong Cats Vs North Melbourne AFL practice match.
