The VFL Cats have named their squad who are set to take on Essendon VFL in a curtain raiser match at Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The match will be the first curtain raiser at Etihad Stadium for the Cats, and their first ever home and away match at the ground.
VFL stalwart Jack Hollmer will create history for the Bankers, becoming the first VFL listed player to play 100 games for the Cats.
After suffering chronic hamstring problems since joining the club at the end of 2013, Zac Bates will play his second game for the season after making a strong return to the VFL last weekend. Bates has pulled up well after playing just over a half of football and will look to increase his game-time this weekend.
James Linton from the Colac FC will play his first match of the season; Linton was a 2014 VFL listed player with the Cats and has been added to the 2015 VFL list in recent weeks.
Ex-Cats and 2013 JJ Liston Medallist Jordan Schroder is also set to line up for the Bombers, Schroder has played six games so far this season.
Interestingly, Essendon VFL’s coaching team has quite a Geelong flavour with Paul Corrigan and brother Mark ((2012 Geelong VFL premiership player & 2013 VFL Best & Fairest winner) both members of their coaching staff.
Facing the seventh placed Bombers will be a challenge for the Cats who are coming off four consecutive losses.
Last time the two sides met (Round 20, 2014), it was the Cats who were victorious, defeating the Bombers by 54-points. Head-to-head the two sides have played five times with the Cats sitting on four wins to the Bombers one.
B: Ruggles - Kolodjashnij - Sheringham
HB: Raidme - Read - Jansen
C: Cockatoo - Blease - Maas
HF: Hollmer - Close - Luxford
F: Bates - Tudor - Gibbs
R: Lucey - Paliouras - Horlin-Smith
I/C: Farrelly - Herbison - Fort - Sherman - Measures - Linton - Rees - Burchell - McFarlane
VFL: Cats head under the dome
Geelong announce side to take on Essendon VFL at Etihad Stadium