Cats draftees raring to go in 2024

SEVEN new faces have arrived at Kardinia Park for the 2024 AFL season, with all each eager to impress during the coming months.

Murray Bushrangers/Allies product Connor O’Sullivan (Pick 11), Peel Thunder/Western Australia player Mitch Edwards (Pick 32), Werribee VFL player Shaun Mannagh (Pick 36), Warrnambool/GWV Rebel George Stevens (Pick 58), Barwon Heads Football Club forward Oliver Wiltshire (Pick 61), Lawson Humphries (Pick 63) from Swan Districts, and Emerson Jeka (Pick 7, Rookie Draft) spoke to the media for the first time at GMHBA Stadium last Thursday.

O’Sullivan was called up first on draft night to receive the fabled number 14 from Cats legend Joel Selwood, but has since enjoyed meeting his new teammates.

“It’s been a whirlwind couple of days but it’s awesome for it all to kind of sink in today,” O’Sullivan said.

“It’s really good to see all the experienced players getting in early and for them to come down and meet us.

“Guys like Patrick Dangerfield, Tom Stewart, Mitch Duncan – we’ve met them now, but we’re even more excited to get stuck into training.”

Wiltshire said it was surreal driving into Geelong for the first time as a Cats players, a trip he had done countless times over the years as a dedicated Geelong supporter.

“It was an unreal feeling.

“I’ve barracked for the Cats my whole life with my parents, I went to school down the road here at St Joseph’s, so I know this place pretty well.

“I’m just so glad to be here.

“I’m also looking forward to playing alongside to Tom Stewart. He was in a very similar position to me [with South Barwon] so I’m looking forward to playing with him.”

Cats recruiting manager Stephen Wells said Geelong was happy with the picks the club made during this year’s draft.

“Shaun has deserved a chance to be on an AFL list.

“It became evident to us that we wanted him on our list, and we think he can make an impact straight away. At the end of the year when he played in the VFL Grand Final, it became a bit of a priority for us.

“When Mitch was available at Pick 32 we jumped at the chance at selecting him; he is a developing young ruckman that we think is going to really add to our list of developing talls over the coming years.

“George is a big-bodied midfielder who can find plenty of the footy in the contest and is also a more than capable defender, he also had the chance to play two games for our VFL team last season, so Geelong is a familiar environment for him.

“At 20 years of age, Lawson is a great young person who is proficient on both sides of his body, and like all our draftees we can’t wait to welcome them all down the club in the next week.”

Jeka joins Geelong after 33 games across three seasons with Hawthorn’s VFL affiliate Box Hill.