Every team seems to have a different idea as to how best approach the four pre-season games that clubs play each year.

Some, like the Sydney Swans, seem to delight in losing just about every time they play in the preseason. Yet the Swans have been a perennial finalist and won the AFL flag in 2005.

While it seems that Geelong doesn’t place a huge emphasis on winning, the Cats have an amazing preseason record over the past six years. The Cats have won 19 of their 24 (79.2%) preseason games in the period, and over the time have never lost more than they have won in the month of practice games.

Even more impressively the Cats have used the time to blood many of their young players. The likes of Travis Varcoe, Nathan Djerkurra, Harry Taylor, Scott Simpson, Brodie Moles, Matthew Spencer, Dan McKenna, Brent Prismall, Simon Hogan, Jeremy Laidler, Todd Grima, Joel Reynolds, Nick Batchelor, Liam Bedford, Sam Hunt and Jason Davenport have all enjoyed extended runs in the team.

The Cats closed out perfect preseason campaigns in 2006 and 2009, winning the NAB Cup in both years. Geelong also recorded three wins from four games in 2004, 2007 and 2008.

Coach Mark Thompson has often said that regardless of who plays he expects his team to play well and win, and it seems the players have taken that message to heart.

No doubt the 2009 preseason will see a number of the less experienced players getting a chance to shine, but don’t expect that will mean that Cats will simply drift through the month. In fact if history is a guide, anything is possible, including perhaps a third NAB Cup win in five years!