Cameron Ling grew up in Geelong and on Sunday he will become the 84th player to captain the club in a senior match when he leads the Cats on to Optus Oval. Ling, who is in his second season as the Cats deputy vice captain, will lead Geelong in the absence of skipper Steven King and vice captain Brenton Sanderson.

“It’s a great honour to lead the team, but obviously I would have preferred that both Kingy and Sando were fit and playing,” Ling said.

“Having grown up here in Geelong and going to games at Skilled Stadium since I was a kid, it is a thrill to captain the team.”

Ling was quick to stress the importance of Sunday’s game after a poor first up effort against St Kilda.

“We didn’t play well last week and I know that the 22 players that take the field on Sunday will do everything in their power to put that right,” he said.

83 players that have captained Geelong in AFL/VFL games

Gary Ablett – 25 games
Geoff Ainsworth – 21
Tom Arklay – 21
Mark Bairstow – 63
Ted Baker – 20
Andrew Bews – 45
Damian Bourke – 46
Terry Bright – 4
Neville Bruns – 24
Peter Burns – 17
Jack Butcher – 17
David Clarke – 23
Wayne Closter – 1
Arthur Coghlan – 32
Leigh Colbert – 3
Jack Collins – 6
Jack Conway – 51
Paul Couch – 3
Harold Craven – 28
Bob Davis – 65
John Devine – 9
Charlie Dibbs – 7
Alec Eason – 23
Bill Eason – 68
Allan Everett – 15
Polly Farmer – 57
Jim Fitzgerald – 6
Tom Fitzmaurice – 8
Fred Flanagan – 59
George Gniel – 25
Bill Goggin – 84
Ben Graham – 67
Jack Grant – 10
Dick Grigg – 2
Lloyd Hagger – 14
George Heinz (Haynes) – 4
Reg Hickey – 142
Kevin Higgins – 1
Ken Hinkley – 4
Garry Hocking – 21
Steve Hocking - 16
Ron Hovey – 5
Rex Hunt – 1
Jim Kearney – 20
Steven King - 13
Geoff Mahon – 2
Michael Mansfield – 7
Harry Marsham – 24
Percy Martini – 2
Billy McCarter – 1
Tim McGrath – 10
Alec McKenzie – 2
Tom Morrow – 19
Bruce Nankervis – 30
Ian Nankervis – 110
Ken Newland – 1
Sam Newman – 41
John O’Connell – 5
John O’Neill – 5
Billy Orchard – 28
Brian Peake – 18
Liam Pickering – 3
Tommy Quinn – 7
Horrie Quinton – 1
Bert Rankin – 21
Cliff rankin – 58
Teddy Rankin – 15
Russell Renfrey – 1
Colin Rice – 7
Brenton Sanderson - 10
Joe Sellwood – 4
Wallace Sharland – 1
Bernie Smith – 40
Edward Stevenson – 12
Barry Stoneham – 59
Neil Tresize – 19
Michael Turner – 42
Doug Wade – 22
Peter Walker – 2
Lindsay White – 36
Fred Wooller – 41
John Yeates – 30
Henry Young - 137