Geelong Ollie Dempsey eyes ‘end goal’ of joining Cats engine room in the future

Ollie Dempsey has thrived in a unique wing role — and copped some stick from his opponents along the way. And the next step of his development could see his magnet moved again.

Geelong excitement machine Ollie Dempsey has already won a Rising Star as a forward and is thriving as an attacking wingman in 2025, and the next step of his evolution may see him join Bailey Smith and Max Holmes in the midfield.

Dempsey wants to be thrown into the engine room in the future to become an even more versatile option for coach Chris Scott.

This year Scott has deployed Dempsey on a wing and given him licence to surge forward to provide an attacking threat, a shift that has seen the Cats reap the rewards.

The dynamic 22-year-old has thrived in the unique role with 24 goals, many of those from inside 20 metres, in 18 games – ranked third at Geelong behind Jeremy Cameron and Shannon Neale – and highlighted his forward half-impact against St Kilda in his 50th AFL game with 10 score involvements, six score assists and a goal.

Ollie Dempsey celebrates one of his 24 goals this year. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Dempsey is yet to attend a centre bounce at AFL level but spent time on-ball in his VFL team of the year season in 2023, in one game gathering 23 contested possessions and eight.

The inside role has shifted in the modern game with more creative, quick and agile players joining the midfield bulls in the centre square, like St Kilda star Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.

Dempsey said the Cats coaching staff have raised the possibility of moving him inside and that he will strive to hone his craft, with assistant coach and former Cats premiership star James Kelly working closely with him.

“Definitely, (inside midfield is) another string I can add to my bow, and I definitely can keep working on that,” Dempsey said.

“And that’s what the end goal I think is – just to add that, along with the wing stuff and the forward stuff, (so) Scotty can use me wherever he needs.

“And I think I’m continuously working at that, and it might be a few years or even next year, but just continued growth in my game in that area, and something that definitely they’ve (the coaching staff) been talking about.

“I haven’t really pushed it at all, but I definitely want to keep working on it so when they want me in that position, then I’ll be ready.

“So I’m just sort of doing stuff behind the scenes, James Kelly’s been really good for me with just craft sort of stuff.

“And it’s something that I think down the track definitely will be something that I’ll strive towards and hopefully have an impact on me.”

Scott has never been afraid to throw the magnets around, starting the season with Sam De Koning in the ruck and playing the ever-versatile Mark Blicavs as a key forward against the Saints.

He said post-game that Dempsey is capable of playing in multiple positions but recalled the wise words of former Geelong football boss Neil Balme.

Ollie Dempsey looks for an option. Picture: James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“It’s possible, but whenever you think about those things, I’m reminded of Neil Balme when I first started,” Scott recalled.

When I used to throw up ideas. He said, ‘The ideas are easy, the players that make way for them are the hard bit’.

“And we’re pretty happy with our inside mid group at the moment, so something would have to give for him to play in there a little bit more.

“He’s a natural forward, in my opinion, and he can certainly play up the ground as well.”

Dempsey is relishing his time on the wing but it has had its challenges after opponents cottoned on to his dashes towards the goalsquare.

“I knew that they were going to catch onto it a bit at the start of the year from going on, so I just had to sort of change a bit of things and work on a few things, which makes it harder,” Dempsey said.

“But I’ve definitely loved the role that Scotty and Kingy make me play. It’s very hard at times, but I love it, and I keep learning with it.”

And the former junior state basketballer has copped some stick from other wingman in the competition for cherry picking – but he won’t name and shame.

“There’s been a few, I can’t name someone now,” Dempsey added with a laugh.

“It’s all fun in the game. It’s all out of love, a lot of them come up after and say, ‘I love playing on you, it makes it hard, and it’s a good battle’. So it’s always good fun.”

Wherever Dempsey plays, there is sure to be plenty of excitement for the Cats faithful, and Scott feels he is just scratching the surface.

“It’s been a good 50 games, the highlight reel is there already. I think there is going to be a few there in that respect,” Scott said.

“Ollie is a very good player 50 games in, but he’s got a lot of improvement left in him.”

Originally published as Geelong Ollie Dempsey eyes ‘end goal’ of joining Cats engine room in the future