The latest Geelong Cats contract news on Gryan Miers and Esava Ratugolea
Esava Ratugolea has revealed he ‘never wanted to go’ despite a trade request to Port Adelaide last year. So where does the out-of-contract Cat sit now?
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Improving Cats defender Esava Ratugolea says he is “never wanted to go” despite a push to be traded to Port Adelaide late last year and he is “happy here” in Geelong.
Out-of-contract at the end of this season, talks are yet to formally kick off between Ratugolea’s management and Geelong.
The big man has settled into a crucial role in defence for the Cats so far this year and has played in every game, including playing as the only genuine tall backman in round 4 with Sam De Koning (concussion) out.
The 24-year-old asked to be moved to the Power in last year’s trade period after playing just one match after round 3 in 2022.
But the Cats held him to the final year of his contract and the move to defence has paid off.
Ratugolea said he loves playing in the hoops.
“I had discussions with the right people (during the off-season) and I love this club, I never wanted to go but I would have hated myself if I didn’t explore and try and get a good opportunity for myself but I am happy here,” he said.
“I have had a few discussions with my manager, we catch up a lot but the biggest thing for me is to try and keep myself in the team really.
“Just to play as consistently as I can, keep my spot and hopefully we can go from there. I will put all of that (contract) stuff to the side because all of that stuff is so distracting.”
Ratugolea played an important role in the first half of Geelong’s win over Hawthorn, holding up several Hawks attacks before he was able to relax as the Cats piled on the goals in the third term.
After a winless opening three rounds raised questions about Geelong’s premiership defence, Ratugolea said the Easter Monday thrashing proved the Cats are still a force when at their best.
“Everyone can say what they want on the outside but we know what we are good at inside the club,” he said.
“We knew it the whole time. There weren’t big things we needed to fit and we went about that and we will go forward from there.”
Gryan Miers in no rush for new contract
In-form premiership Cat Gryan Miers is in no rush to ink a new contract as he declares “I definitely want to stay at Geelong”.
The hardworking forward is out of contract at the end of this season and early talks have been held between his management and the Cats.
Miers, 24, said he was keen to carry on with the Cats but a new deal wouldn’t define his life.
“I am never too worried about it,” he said.
“If it didn’t happen for me, I would live a good life and if it does I would be happy. I definitely want to stay at Geelong, I love being here and they rewarded me over the last few years so I just want to keep repaying the faith and once that happens, we will have good negotiations and we will see where it goes from there.”
Miers sits alongside fellow forward Brad Close and reborn defender Esava Ratugolea as important first-team Cats in their prime coming out of contract.
Midfielder Mark Blicavs is set to lock in a two-year extension, while veterans Tom Hawkins, Sam Menegola, Isaac Smith and Rhys Stanley are poised to be unrestricted free agents at the end of this year.
Miers said he had no worries about being out of contract as the year progresses.
“It doesn’t stress me much at all, like I was saying, in life I have a pretty good situation even if nothing happened,” he said.
“The goal is to sign something with Geelong and I will kind of let the background take care of that. Once they sort it out and it comes to me, yes or no, I will be very happy.”
Miers was on hand at St Mary’s Football and Netball Club on Wednesday to launch the Auskick season.
The forward said he began his footy journey at Auskick at age three, following his little brother, in Melbourne before moving to Torquay.
He played with GFL club Grovedale in his later junior years.
“(Auskick) got the passion going, made me fall in love with footy and I made some good friends I still have today,” he said.
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