THINGS are changing at Kardinia Park and this makes the Cats an interesting prospect for AFL Fantasy in 2025.

The addition of Bailey Smith (MID/FWD, $598,000) to their midfield could be a start to a more settled line up in the engine room. Last season 12 players had more than 25 per cent of Geelong's centre-bounce attendances for the season. Things changed week-to-week through player availability, but usage through the middle was sporadic.

PLAY AFL FANTASY Pick your team NOW

The 34-year-old Rhys Stanley (RUC, $673,000) was the preferred ruck while 21-year-old Toby Conway (RUC, $656,000) played five matches to average 75.2, almost 10 points more than the veteran. However, injury curtailed his run at securing the top job.

Mark Blicavs (RUC, $704,000) was the chop out ruck, attending around a quarter of the Cats' ruck contests.

The surprise packet was Sam De Koning (DEF, $564,000) who averaged 87.4 when used as the main ruck between rounds 15 and 19. If he was awarded the No.1 ruck role, he would offer 30-plus points of value after averaging 55 last season.

Listen to the AFL Fantasy Podcast with The Traders at Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Lock them in

There is no bigger lock in Fantasy Classic than Bailey Smith (MID/FWD, $598,000). The former Dog is the most selected player so far this pre-season due to his value. Smith missed all of 2024 after rupturing his ACL in December 2023. More than 12 months on, he's on the track at Kardina Park and ticking boxes as he aims for a spot in Geelong's midfield. Being priced at 58 makes Smith plenty of value considering his 2022 return that saw him average 105.6. An inside midfield role is what will make Bazlenka a knockout pick. Even an average of 83, like he achieved in a disappointing 2023, would be enough to make him a top-six forward and around $250,000 under-priced.

Track their pre-season

We saw a Fantasy ton from Lawson Humphries (DEF, $706,000) in just his third game when he took 13 marks against Collingwood in round 18. Although he failed to reach triple-figures again for the season, signs were great for the 21-year-old who scored 70 and 86 in Geelong's finals campaign. Humphries was entrusted with taking kick-ins for the Cats and track watchers have been impressed with his pre-season thus far. Expect Humphries to have a role as a distributor as they want the ball in his hands after 85 per cent disposal efficiency from his 11 games.

Dual-position tempter

Geelong's most expensive player in Fantasy Classic is Max Holmes (DEF/MID, $969,000). He enjoyed a breakout in his fourth season, taking his previous average from 75.6 to 94.5. During the second half of the season, he was given greater responsibility as a midfielder, attending 44 per cent of Geelong's centre bounces from round 10. While the difference in his numbers as a midfielder or playing as a half-back were negligible, his ability to perform in ball winning positions was impressive.

Bargain basement

Connor O'Sullivan (DEF, $300,000) made his debut last year in round five and scored 40. He remains a rookie-priced player and could be in the mix for games and therefore, a cash cow option down back. O'Sullivan averaged 64.8 in his 18 VFL games.

Two games as Geelong's starting substitute for scores of 24 and 39 means Ted Clohesy (MID/FWD, $265,000) remains cheap. He played one match in 2023 – you guessed it, as sub – but his VFL numbers have shown there is some hope. He averaged 102.9 from his 17 games in the reserves, featuring seven scores of 120 or more.

Draft sleeper

Making his debut as the sub in round one and having limited time on ground in his second match before heading to the VFL, Shaun Mannagh (FWD, $748,000) has plenty of room for improvement in 2025. He earned a recall in round 17 following a six-goal haul in the VFL that helped him to 131 Fantasy points. He scored 115 in his first game back in the senior side and went on to average 84 in his 10 games to end the season, including finals. The 27-year-old ranks as the 25th best forward in Draft based on his 72.9 average … 84 would make him a top-five forward.

Custom stat star

Tom Stewart (DEF, $899,000) had an interesting year where he was a major player in Geelong's midfield rotations. His increase in centre-bounce attendances saw a six-game run where he averaged 116.2. Does this inflate his value? Possibly, but in custom stat Draft leagues he could be a winner. Stewart ranked second for the Cats for effective disposals and first for rebound 50s. Add in solid numbers for contested possessions and spoils, Stewart finds a way to bump up his scoring if you're looking to reward players who do some of the harder work for their team.

Buyer beware

Age is an easy way to put a line through players. 30-plus is often the cut-off for many Fantasy coaches (this may rule out a lot of Cats). Mitch Duncan (DEF, $795,000) is 33 years of age and Cameron Guthrie (MID, $731,000) is 32. The reason they've been singled out is the value that they possibly present. Duncan has produced epic Fantasy numbers across his career averaging 90-plus in the eight seasons prior to 2024. His personal best was 112.6 in 2017 but it was only 2021 that he last posted a 100-plus average. While past performances are nice to call back on to find value, but his 77.5 average from last year is probably fair considering he was used as the Cats' sub in the semi-final. Guthrie looks cheap, but he's only managed 10 games in the last two seasons. While he could be worth a punt with a super-late pick in Draft, it'd take a brave coach to select him for anything other than a bench spot that is possibly used to grab a free agent in the first couple of weeks.

Missed the other club previews so far? Check them out below...

Richmond: Kids take centre stage, can mid bounce back?
North Melbourne: Recruit a bargain, eyes on young guns
West Coast: Harley building, keep track of former Tigers
Adelaide: Big names in spotlight, ex-Giants to consider
Melbourne: Skipper a lock, can gun duo return to peak form?
Gold Coast: Midfield tempters, recruits worth watching
St Kilda: Track recruit, is young star set for breakout year?
Essendon: Skipper's decade of dominance, defenders galore
Fremantle: Talent to burn, is gun recruit worth a punt?
Collingwood: Lock in star, youngster tempting again
Carlton: Gun draftee a steal, lock in athletic tall
Western Bulldogs: Lock this Dog in, recruit to watch
Hawthorn: Don't sleep on Sicily, should you seize the Day?
Greater Western Sydney: Lock in Tom Green, eye on Finn Callaghan, beware Josh Kelly

Get expert advice from The Traders during the pre-season in the Fantasy Hub. Follow AFL Fantasy on X and Instagram and 'like' the Facebook page to join in the conversation.