Geelong defender Tom Harley has agreed to a new contract with the Cats. Harley is one of the Cats most respected players and a valued leader of the club. As per club policy, terms of the contract were not revealed.

Harley has played 90 games with Geelong after beginning his AFL career with Port Adelaide, where he played once. Harley is a member of Geelong’s highly ranked defensive unit, linking with the likes of Matthew Scarlett and Brenton Sanderson as key players in the Cats backline.

In the past three seasons opponents have averaged just 1.2 goals per game against Harley.

Harley, 25, was traded to the Cats from Port Adelaide in exchange for the 37th selection in the 1998 national draft, and has been a permanent member of the senior line up since the middle of 1999. He played 75 games in a row before injury snapped the streak early last season.

Harley finished fifth in Geelong’s best and fairest in 2002, a season that saw him also claim the best clubman award. He earned most determined & most dedicated player honours in 2000 and the coach’s award in 2001. Harley was an under-18 All Australian in 1996 after helping South Australia to the final of the national championship.

Over his 91 game career Harley has gathered 1,047 possessions (716 kicks & 331 handballs), and pulled in 346 marks.