From Oktoberfest to Irish triumph: What your favourite Cats stars did this summer.
While some Cats players jetted overseas for adventure, others chose family time at home as the team gets ready to return after their heartbreaking finals loss.
After the season ended in brutal fashion for the Cats, the players have been making the most of their break.
A heartbreaking loss to the Lions hasn’t gotten in the way of the fun, with a number of lads making their way to all corners of the globe, with others opting for family time at home.
Before the players all get back to Kardinia Park to resume training, catch up on what the boys have been doing.
GLOBE TROTTING
It’s the done thing now, getting some overseas travel in over the off season.
A healthy contingent including Max Holmes, Mitch Knevitt, Jhye Clark and Mitchell Edwards flew the flag for the Cats at Oktoberfest celebrations in Germany.
Sam De Koning also made his way over to the continent, learning Italian and Spanish along the way.
South East Asia was another popular destination.
Jake Kolodjashnij and his family spent some time in Vietnam, before hitting up Singapore.
After his retirement and subsequent employment as a coach at West Coast, Mitch Duncan did what all West Australians do when they aren’t working and headed over to Bali.
Teammate Brad Close also spent some time over in Bali, getting in some scuba diving.
Gryan Miers also went to Vietnam with Mark Blicavs, before shooting over to Canada and the United States to catch some snow.
FOOTY NEVER STOPS
For some of the boys, the season never ends.
Take Mark O’Connor for instance.
The Irishman headed back to Emerald Isle over summer to get in some Gaelic footy.
He wasn’t just there to make up the numbers, either, O’Connor played alongside his childhood friends to play for local club Dingle in the 2025 Kerry Senior Football Championship.
In late October, O’Connor and his team won the final for the first time in 77 years.
“We did it, finally. It is just extra special, we are such a small town,” O’Connor told Irish Sports Breakfast Radio show Off the Ball.
According to the official Cats website, O’Connor was sent to the equivalent of the sin bin for 10 minutes after what onlookers describes as an “AFL-style tackle”.
Some players even took the time to visit O’Connor.
Footy was on the minds of some of the veterans, too.
Patrick Dangerfield shared some sage advice for this years draftees, reminding them to think about their choice of clothing, sharing some photos that are clearly still haunting him.
As for Jeremy Cameron, he became one of the first players announced for the Big V in the upcoming State of Origin reboot.
Everybody’s favourite Bailey Smith was surprisingly quiet following his notable Brownlow evening and controversial Mad Monday.
Smith did cause a bit of a stir when he posted an Instagram story of him and Charlie Curnow having a kick on the Surf Coast.
CLOSER TO HOME
There’s no place like home.
While his teammates were running amok overseas, Danger spent some time at the beach with his family.
The captain also found the time to brag about some of the monster fish he’s been reeling in on Instagram.
Perhaps the biggest off-season move was that of Gold Coast local Jack Bowes, who headed home to get married.
Much has been made about the goings on at Rhys Stanley’s farm since the infamous meeting with Clayton Oliver at the property.
Stanley brought fans behind the veil, posting a time lapse video of the work that goes on there.
Oliver, now at GWS, was not sighted.
william.keech@news.com.au
Originally published as From Oktoberfest to Irish triumph: What your favourite Cats stars did this summer.
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