Cats and Deakin partnership to reach 20 years

THE ongoing partnership between the Geelong Football Club and Deakin University will extend a further three years.

Deakin University, which features two campuses in Waurn Ponds and on Geelong’s Waterfront, will remain a partner with the Cats until at least the end of 2026.

Deakin University vice-chancellor Professor Iain Martin said the university is looking forward to another prosperous three seasons backing the Cats on and off the field.

“Geelong players will continue to benefit from the latest discoveries in sport science developed by our expert team within the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, the world’s number one sport science school,” Professor Martin said.

“Our students will also enjoy exciting industry placement opportunities working alongside players at the top of their game and the professional teams who support them to achieve their all.”

Deakin will retain its sponsorship roles as co-major partner of the Cats’ AFLW program and will continue to collaborate with the club across Deakin’s School of Exercise and Nutrition Science and Geelong’s High-Performance teams.

Deakin University students will also get to complete their placements at the Cats across areas of strength and conditioning, nutrition, and performance technology.

Geelong Football Club chief operating officer Simon Kelleher said the renewed partnership will help extend it to two decades, one of the longest-serving partnerships for the historic club.

“We’re thrilled to be able to extend our partnership with Deakin University as Co-Major partners of our AFLW program, and as the official University and Education Partner of the Geelong Cats,” Mr Kelleher said.

“As two organisations with strong roots in the broader Geelong community, we have been able to forge and significantly develop a mutually beneficial partnership over the past two decades, particularly in high performance, athlete development and community connection.”

Deakin will also remain the naming rights partner of the Deakin Cats Community Centre.

The state-of-the-art community centre at GMHBA Stadium is offered free of charge to community groups in the region.