A former Brisbane Lion, a former Magpie and a host of local stars headline the list of 17 players named in the 2011 Geelong VFL squad.

Along with the Gold Coast Suns and Frankston Dolphins, the Cats fielded one of the youngest sides in the VFL competition last season.

With a similar challenge to confront in 2011, the club aimed to retain and recruit a number of players with extensive senior football experience that will assist the development of the young AFL listed players.

Troy Selwood was the first major signing for the club after playing 75 games in eight seasons with the Brisbane Lions. Troy joined the club in October last year as a full time member of the club’s football operations department and has been working closely alongside many of the young players he will play with in 2011.

Former Geelong Falcon Jaxson Barham played seven games with the premiers Collingwood before being delisted at the end of the 2010 season. The former Geelong College student is hopefully of following the path of players such as Jonathan Simpkin and James Podsiadly who used the Geelong VFL program to get another chance at AFL level.

A number of local football stars including Andrew McLean (St Mary’s), Mark Corrigan (South Barwon) and Jackson Sheringham (Bell Park) have been added to the squad.

Former North Ballarat defender McLean was named at full back in the All Australian Country Team and will add some much needed experience to the young Geelong VFL defence. Sheringham - brother of former Cat rookie Tim and Corrigan - brother of former Cat Paul, return to the squad after playing VFL with the Cats in 2009. Sheringham (Werribee) and Corrigan (Sandringham) also have experience at VFL level with other clubs.

Two Geelong Falcons graduates Isaac Baker and Mitch Fisher join 7 former Falcons in the squad, while Lara pair Jack Shannahan and Anthony Elliott and Rupertswood speedster Garreth Phillips round out the new signings.

Only 7 of the 21 players listed in 2010 have been retained for the upcoming season, they are VFL premiership defender Matthew Firman, Jack Hollmer, Casey Tutungi, Ben Raidme, Mitchell Cuthill Anthony Biemans and Tommy Maas.

Although the majority of the players exiting the squad have returned to local football, a number of players have moved to other VFL clubs. Former rookie Bryn Weadon has signed with the Werribee Tigers while Ben Dobson and Leopold’s Sam Hughes have transferred to the North Ballarat Roosters.

Although the club could list up to 21 VFL players, it has decided to name just 17 at this stage of the season.

The club can list a further four players between now and the 30th of June.

The remanning spots will be offered to players who are performing well at local level or impressing on the training track.

The Bendigo Bank Cats have their final hit out of the pre-season against reigning premiers North Ballarat Roosters at Eureka Stadium, Ballarat on Saturday 26th March at 2.00pm.

Round 1 kicks off the following week with the Cats travelling to Casey Fields to take on the Casey Scorpions under lights on Saturday 2nd of April at 7.00pm.