GEELONG small forward Luke Dahlhaus will make his return from a pre-season groin issue in Saturday’s VFL practice match against North Melbourne.
The 28-year-old is one of nine AFL-listed Cats selected for the Saturday morning meeting at GMHBA Stadium.
Also named are Quinton Narkle and Ben Jarvis, along with uncapped sextet Max Holmes, Nathan Kreuger, Nick Stevens, Shannon Neale, Cam Taheny and Irishman Stefan Okunbor.
29 VFL-listed players will get the chance to impress, including former AFL-listed Cats Darcy Lang and Ryan Abbott, who are back at GMHBA Stadium after Carlton and St Kilda’s stints, respectively.
Among those yet to play at VFL level for the Cats pushing their claims for Round 1 are ex-Williamstown player Ollie Tate, Jye Chalcraft, Nick Bourke, Jordan Johnston and Mitch Burgess.
Tate and Burgess are aligned to GFL club Leopold, Bourke to St Joseph’s, and Johnston is with Ballarat League club East Point.
It’s the first of four practice matches for Geelong ahead of Round 1.
The Cats will play Coburg (March 20 – Deakin Uni), Port Melbourne (March 27 – North Port Oval) and Collingwood (April 10 -Deakin Uni) before starting their season on the weekend of April 17-18.;
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GEELONG VFL SQUAD VS. NORTH MELBOURNE
9. MAX STEVEN (AFL)
10. BEN JARVIS (AFL)
15. NATHAN KRUEGER (AFL)
19. QUINTON NARKLE (AFL)
21. NICK STEVENS (AFL)
33. SHANNON NEALE (AFL)
40. LUKE DAHLHAUS (AFL)
41. CAM TAHENY (AFL)
43. STEFAN OKUNBOR (AFL)
47. PADDY DOWLING (St Mary’s)
48. AARON BLACK (Modewarre)
49. RYAN ABBOTT (Grovedale)
50. DAN CAPIRON (St Joseph’s)
51. TRENT McMULLAN (St Mary’s)
52. JACKSON McLACHLAN (St Joseph’s)
54. OLLIE TATE (Leopold)
55. LUKE SMIHT (Bell Park)
57. JYE CHALCRAFT (St Mary’s)
58. DARCY LANG (Colac)
59. NED HARRIS (Newtown & Chilwell)
60. NICK BOURKE (St Joseph’s)
64. CHARLIE WILSON (Bell Park)
67. ZACH WALTER (Barwon Heads)
71. JORDAN JOHNSTON (East Point)
72. ADAM GARNER (Colac)
73. ZACH ZDYBEL (Colac)
74. JAMES GOW (St Joseph’s)
76. MITCH BURGESS (Leopold)
