The philosophy shaping Cats players beyond the game

BEING on an AFL list is just one chapter of a footballer’s life, and it is Mark Worthington’s job is to help them write the rest of their books.

Worthington has been at the Cats for 10 years and is the head of player development and wellbeing. He plays a key role in evolving players to set them up for post-football success.

“We are part of the transition from when they first come to the club all the way through to when they depart the club,” Worthington said.

His team includes player development manager Shannon Byrnes, Indigenous player development manager Brett Goodes and psychologist David Williams.

Together they try to understand what makes each Geelong player tick and help them develop their “non-athletic identity”.

“Everyone can have their opinions on Patrick Dangerfield or Jeremy Cameron as a player, but that’s one aspect of them,” Worthington said.

“That’s two hours a week of who they are. What’s important to me in our department is really who they are outside of that. Are they a family person? Are they passionate about the environment? Are they passionate about their finances? Do they want to be an educator?

“We use an analogy: if they were to write a 20-chapter book on themselves, how many chapters would be dedicated to footy and what would the other chapters be dedicated to?

“We don’t have a bias to what they need to be. It’s really just [them] trying to express themselves.”

The induction period for new players is critical, Worthington said.

“At the start, we’re trying to work out who they are as a person, so we can then express who they are as a footballer,” he said.

“It’s really difficult to move the other side of the country and expect to play great footy without getting to know who they are and what makes them tick.”

Players are in the AFL for much less time than in the past, with the AFL Players Association stating in 2025 the average length of a player’s career is less than six years.

Worthington said players need to know what might come next.

“I think that part’s really important for the industry to tell the story that this is only one small journey in who these people are,” he said.

“If they play 400 games like Scott Pendlebury or if they don’t play any at all, we still want to be able to provide an environment and experience so these players will look back fondly on their time in the AFL system and say, ‘I was lucky enough and I’m really proud of the fact I was on an AFL list’.”

Geelong’s club culture is famed and sometimes envied throughout the AFL. Worthington said it was about the people rather than any kind of “secret sauce”.

He noted many of the Cats’ key leaders such as Steve Hocking, Andrew Mackie, Stephen Wells and Chris Scott had been there for a long time.

Worthington said the club has worked hard to be a safe place for players and staff to want to work.

“When you do come in there, it feels like home,” Worthington said.

“It does feel like any other community sporting club where you are respected, you’re treated properly and you’re trusted to do your job.”