The veteran believes the younger boys have taken on the Geelong way and are ready to step up to help ignite an exciting year for the Cats.
‘’I think it’s going to be a good year for us, I think a tough year for us, and an exciting one,’’ Chapman told Cats TV.
‘’I think the development of our younger blokes is going to show. What I’ve seen at the park, our real young kids have really adopted the Geelong way and they really want to listen and want to learn, and have definitely taken steps forward.
‘’I believe the guys that we really relied on last year (such as) Mitch Duncan, Allen Christensen and guys like them are going to take another step as well, which we need them to do if we are going to go a few steps more than we did last year.’’
Chapman told Cats TV that he has definitely taken on a different mind set for this season, especially knowing that this year could be his last.
‘’Yeah definitely, my motto this year is just to enjoy it and have fun.’’
‘’(I’m) just enjoying everything about being here and my teammates… it could be my last (year) so I think that’s the best way to approach it.’’
Advice given to Chapman for the year ahead from senior Coach, Chris Scott, is much like the rest of the team, and that is to increase fitness, skills and to keep working hard on their game structures.
‘’Get fit, get fitter, do more, work on skills... and for the whole team (we) obviously (need to keep working on) our structures, and what’s most important for us, what’s going to help us win and what is going to work against the really good teams.‘’
The teams that Chapman believes will be tough to beat this year are Hawthorn, Sydney and Collingwood, however the one team he sees as a significant threat in this years competition is Carlton.
‘’I think Mick Malthouse will spark something within them (Carlton), for me they’ll be the danger team I reckon, I think they’ll come out and play some good footy.’’
Despite the number of new recruits the Cats remain to be a team to beat. The continuing success at the Geelong Cats, as Chapman confirms, is put down to the clubs culture of giving the younger guys confidence and teaching them how to successfully fill the position of their mentors.
‘’I think it is credit to the older guys, before they’ve left they embrace the younger guys making them feel part of the team (and) teaching them the right way,’’ Chapman said.
‘’I think sometimes you can have a culture of, I’m one of the older guys so I’m just going to worry about me, but at Geelong it doesn’t seem to be that way… they want to help out as much as they can.’’
Chapman explains to Cats TV the reasons why the likes of Menzel, Varcoe and Vardy will be such important assets to the team once they're all back on board.
‘’(Menzel) is going to be huge I reckon… they’ll (the other teams will) have to put a dangerous defender on him.''
‘’Every time I think of Travie, I think of the Grand final and the way he played and the things that he does to inspire the team.
‘’And Vard is strong, can kick a goal and is good in the ruck, he’s just danger for me, so it’s going to be great to have those guys out on the park as soon as possible… it is definitely going to help us.’’
Overall Chapman is looking forward to seeing the young boys execute their skills out on the ground and is enjoying having the new boys, McIntosh, Rivers and Caddy, on the team.
‘’As blokes they’re really good guys, you always get a little bit worried when blokes from other teams come in (and) you’ve played against them for so long,’’ Chapman said.
‘’But they’ve been fantastic around the club, they train hard, and as I said really good guys, easy to talk to and they like to have fun.’’
