New Cat Ollie Henry is excited to play in AFL alongside friend Tanner Bruhn after pair secured trades to Geelong

From going on school camps together to potentially running out onto GMHBA Stadium as teammates, it has been a long journey for great mates Ollie Henry and Tanner Bruhn.

The First shots of Victorian draftees in club colours, at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. Oliver Henry (Collingwood) and Tanner Bruhn ( GWS). Picture: Alex Coppel.

FROM going on school camps together to potentially running out onto GMHBA Stadium as teammates, it has been a long journey for great mates Ollie Henry and Tanner Bruhn.

The 20-year-old football talents started their careers in different states but will now have the chance to pull on the hoops and play together in 2023 after being traded to Geelong in the off-season.

Henry said the pair of recruits had discussed potentially playing with each other throughout the trade period, but he was not sure if it would actually happen.

“We did speak a little bit about the potential of us playing together, nothing was said in certainty though because there was definitely a chance only one of us, or even neither of us, got to Geelong,” he said.

Ollie Henry and Tanner Bruhn will both play for Geelong in 2022 after securing trades in the off-season. Picture: Alex Coppel.

“So we did speak hypothetically about how awesome it would be to play together.

“It is super exciting that we both got to Geelong and it will be great to play with Tanner, we’ve been really great mates since our days at St Joseph’s College.

“We went on school camps together and spent a lot of time together just away from footy.

“Obviously we’ve played a lot of footy together as well, so it’s pretty cool to be able to play with him again.”

Bruhn and Henry played school and representative football together before entering the AFL draft. Picture: Michael Klein

Bruhn was traded to Geelong for a future first-round selection well before the trade deadline, while Henry was one of the last trades to be processed in the dying minutes of the trade period.

Henry said Bruhn would be a “star” for the Cats after watching him develop in his two seasons at Greater Western Sydney.

“He’s such a great talent, he works hard and has that drive to succeed,” he said.

Bruhn played 17 games in 2022 for the Giants, while Henry managed 15 for the Magpies. Dylan Burns

“Every time we played him he showed so much more in terms of ability, you could tell he was getting better every game that he played.

“It’s exciting to get the chance to learn off each other and really improve through our careers, he’s someone that will come in and make the team more competitive just the way he plays.”

Both young guns will join a squad that is fresh off winning the premiership, with almost the majority of the premiership side playing again in 2023.

They were both first-round draft selections in 2020, with Bruhn playing 30 games for Greater Western Sydney and Henry playing 25 matches for Collingwood. Picture: Contributed

Henry said he knew there was a chance he would start his Geelong career playing VFL football, but he was happy to be patient and learn off some of the game’s great players at his disposal.

“Coming to a competitive side, you can look at it two ways, but it’s better for it to make you work harder and earn your place,” he said.

“Any club you go to as a young player you’re going to be teammates with guys you watched as a junior, but it’s awesome to have a chance to learn off of them and become better as a player.

“If that’s playing in the VFL or the AFL, I’m happy to learn from my new teammates, they’ve really put their arms around me and made me feel welcomed.”

Originally published as New Cat Ollie Henry is excited to play in AFL alongside friend Tanner Bruhn after pair secured trades to Geelong