Mathieson Medal winner Doyle Madigan will get a chance to prove his wares at the next level after earning an invite to pre-season training with Geelong’s VFL squad.
A former Geelong Falcon, the hard-working South Barwon midfielder is among 46 players the Cats will cast an eye over ahead of the 2025 season.
Also invited from the GFNL for the first time are Madigan’s Swans teammates Paddy Kelly and Oscar Pollock, grand final best-on-ground Brock Williamson, Leopold forward Max Annandale, star St Joseph’s forward Paddy De Grandi and young gun Max McLachlan.
Joey Chaplin, returning to Joeys after a strong season with WAFL club Perth, will join them.
Geelong will also look at a couple of Bellarine recruits.
Taj Wyburd has joined Ocean Grove after playing in Peel Thunder’s WAFL premiership, while former Ballarat League excitement machine Izaac Grant will play at Queenscliff.
The Cats have tapped into the district leagues, with East Geelong young guns Ben Crombie and Austin Mulvahil, and Anakie’s Team of the Year forward Oscar Barter selected from the GDFNL.
Charlie McCartin, who starred for Lorne in their Colac and District premiership-winning season, will look to earn a spot after two VFL games with Sydney in 2024.
Several Geelong Falcons graduates have also scored invites.
Alfie Wojcinski, the son of triple-premiership-winning Geelong speedster David, Noah Caracella, Kobe George, Brady Hall, Dan Lowther, and Zac McInnes, will look to keep their AFL dreams alive via the VFL system.
Despite having interchange clubs outside the region, Marcus Herbert and Kaelen Bradtke look set to remain in the Hoops.
Former Geelong rookie Osca Riccardi is also staying after weighing-up an interstate move, as is Bell Park teammate Hamish Lucas, who went close to earning a rookie spot with the GWS Giants last month.
@krockfootball
GEELONG VFL PRE-SEASON TRAINING SQUAD
| Kye | Annand | Ocean Grove |
| Max | Annandale | Leopold |
| Lewis | Antonac | St Joseph’s |
| Jamieson | Ballantyne | Portland |
| Oscar | Barter | Anakie |
| Ethan | Borys | South Barwon |
| Kaelan | Bradtke | Corowa-Rutherglen |
| Connor | Byrne | Koroit |
| Daniel | Capiron | St Joseph’s |
| Noah | Caracella | Newtown & Chilwell |
| Joseph | Chaplin | St Joseph’s/Perth (WAFL) |
| Ben | Crombie | East Geelong |
| Paddy | De Grandi | St Joseph’s |
| Darcy | Edmends | Heidelberg |
| Lucas | Edmonds | Port Fairy/Northern Bullants (VFL) |
| Kobe | George | Bell Park |
| Hunter | Gottschling | Wangaratta |
| Izaac | Grant | Queenscliff |
| Brady | Hall | Colac |
| Marcus | Herbert | Heidelberg |
| Patrick | Hughes | Torquay |
| Ryley | Hutchins | Terang |
| Patrick | Kelly | South Barwon |
| Tanner | Lewis | Geelong West |
| Dan | Lowther | Lara |
| Hamish | Lucas | Bell Park |
| Doyle | Madigan | South Barwon |
| Reggie | Mast | Warrnambool |
| Charlie | McCartin | Lorne |
| Zac | McInnes | Bell Park |
| Max | McLachlan | St Joseph’s |
| Austin | Mulvahil | East Geelong |
| Tobyn | Murray | Colac |
| Olly | Myers | Port Fairy |
| Tom | Peirce | South Barwon |
| Oscar | Pollock | Port Fairy/South Barwon |
| Will | Rantall | South Warrnambool |
| Osca | Riccardi | Bell Park |
| Strahan | Robinson | Port Fairy |
| Jack | Sarcevic | Bell Park |
| William | Sheahan | Leopold |
| Todd | White | South Barwon |
| Brock | Williamson | Leopold |
| Alfie | Wojcinski | Newtown & Chilwell |
| Jed | Woods | Mooroopna |
| Taj | Wyburd | Ocean Grove/Peel (WAFL) |
