Cats duo to celebrate 300th and 200th in big Friday night clash

PADDY SINNNOTT

They took very different paths to get there, but on Friday night Geelong teammates Mark Blicavs and Jake Kolodjashnij will reach their 300th and 200th games together at GMHBA Stadium.

On one side stands football’s ultimate utility in Blicavs; on the other, a pillar of resilience and defensive consistency in Kolodjashnij. On Friday, their contrasting journeys converge.

After a successful athletics career that almost led him compete in the 2012 London Olympics, Blicavs was taken by the Cats with pick 54 in the 2012 Rookie Draft after the club convinced him to try football.

As he developed, the 35-year-old was used across almost every position on the field, his endurance and lean 198cm frame allowing him to adapt wherever needed.

Heading into his 300th game, Geelong still wrestles with how best to define him.

Across his career, Blicavs has spent 29.9 per cent as a defender, 28.1 per cent as a ruck, 17.1 per cent on the wing, 15.7 per cent as a midfielder and 9.2 per cent forward.

His flexibility will see him become just the second rookie-drafted player to reach 300 games, with a résumé that includes a premiership, an All-Australian blazer and two Carji Greeves Medals.

Blicavs will become the eighth Cat to reach the milestone, joining names such as Joel Selwood and Tom Hawkins, having missed just 18 games along the way.

Kolodjashnij, who has featured in 186 of Blicavs’ 299 games, has taken a markedly different road to 200.

Hailing from Launceston, the 30-year-old was taken with pick 41 in the 2013 AFL Draft and made his debut in 2015 after a year of development in the reserves.

As he grew into his career, he became a cog in a notoriously solid defence alongside the likes of club legends Corey Enright and Harry Taylor. In time, his composure and experience became crucial in the club’s 2022 premiership.

In recent years, Kolodjashnij has endured injuries and significant time on the sidelines, making Friday’s milestone even more meaningful. He returned just last weekend against West Coast after 568 days out, slotting seamlessly back into defence.

The dual milestones come on a blockbuster night, with Geelong hosting the fourth-placed Western Bulldogs in a crucial round 6 clash.

Beyond the milestones, Blicavs and Kolodjashnij’s experience will be vital as the Cats look to avenge their 2025 grand final loss and go one better in 2026.