Geelong breakout contender Mitch Knevitt eyeing move inside after turning heads at the Cattery this pre-season

A blond midfielder has been the clear standout on the track at the Cattery -— and it isn’t Bailey Smith. The youngster details the hard work behind his bumper pre-season and his opening round hopes.

A blond-haired Geelong midfielder eyeing more time in the engine room has been talked up at every opportunity by his teammates this pre-season.

No, not big-name recruit Bailey Smith, despite the ex-Bulldog dominating the conversation.

Instead, it is bulked-up 22-year-old Mitch Knevitt who has been the clear standout at the Cattery as an on-baller – his 38 disposals, 23 contested possessions, 13 clearances, 10 tackles and 224 SuperCoach points in Geelong’s VFL semi-final loss last year a sign of things to come.

There has been plenty of talk surrounding Bailey Smith, but Mitch Knevitt has been the clear standout this pre-season in the eyes of his teammates. Picture: Alison Wynd

“It felt like there have been other games where I maybe hadn’t put together everything at once, but that was a game where it sort of all come together, which was nice to finish off the year and sort of take that into this pre-season as well with a bit of confidence,” Knevitt told this masthead.

The praise started in the first week of the pre-season when Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield – the man who famously gave Max Holmes a massive pump-up two years ago – declared the 193 centimetre youngster was destined for inside midfield minutes in 2025.

“Mitch Knevitt is a player I think we will see a fair bit through there throughout the early parts of the season. I reckon he’s a really big, powerful player and I can see him playing some really good AFL footy,” Dangerfield said in December.

Asked who had impressed this pre-season, Gryan Miers told reporters last week: I’ve really loved Mitch Knevitt. I think is in his fourth now, he’s had two years of AFL and he’s really looking fantastic to me.”

Mitch Knevitt dominated on the inside in Geelong’s semi-final defeat. Picture: Rob Lawson/AFL Photos

Premiership players Brad Close and Jed Bews were asked the same question this week and gave very similar answers.

“Mitch Knevitt I reckon is one that has caught my eye throughout the pre-season. Come back really fit, running really well but finding heaps of footy in the midfield,” Close said.

“So he is really pushing his case ready for round one, it will be great to see how he goes in these pre-season games. He has obviously played a few games in the last couple of years but he is ready to go I reckon.”

“Mitch Knevitt is one that’s been really consistent. Spending time in midfield and just clean and dominating, so expecting him to have a pretty good year,” Bews said.

How does 14-game Knevitt feel about the pre-season pump-ups?

“It’s good to have some confidence through the teammates, which I’ve sort of noticed more this pre-season,” Knevitt told this masthead.

“Everyone’s hoping for me to go well and really giving me confidence as well, which helps so much. Sometimes that’s what you need, teammates to sort of back you in a bit, which has been good.”

Knevitt hits the tackle bag this pre-season. Picture: Brad Fleet

After a promising 2023 campaign as a wingman where he broke in for eight games, Knevitt managed just four appearances last season — but one of those was very brief.

Knevitt came close to a bizarre record as the second latest activated sub of all-time, sent on at the 28th minute of the last quarter after coming into the side as a late inclusion against Adelaide in round two.

“That was a weird experience,” Knevitt recalled.

“It was a close game and that’s the way it worked out, but did have other chances throughout the year, which was good as well.”

As the Geelong Falcons graduate was stuck on the outer, he watched confidence permeate through eventual Rising Star winner Ollie Dempsey and then distributor Lawson Humphries.

Knevitt is eyeing a breakout year of his own in his fourth AFL season after adding noticeable size to his frame and soaking up stoppage knowledge from Dangerfield, midfield coach Steven King and head of development Nigel Lappin.

Knevitt’s opportunities were few and far between last season. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images via AFL Photos

“I take a lot out of players like Ollie, Lawson who have that those good years last year. And it sort of all comes back to, I think, confidence for them – especially Ollie, when he gets going he is pretty unstoppable,” Knevitt said.

“I put on a little bit of size, like I have sort of every year gradually. But my running stuff has sort of stayed the same, I’ve always been a pretty strong runner and just building size and focusing more on stoppage work that I did at the end of last year as well.

“This year is probably more just focusing on midfield role, whether that’s VFL, AFL. But just put my best foot forward this pre-season to try and crack in.

“Played a bit more midfield towards the end of last year in the VFL and then hope to sort of translate that into AFL just playing more midfield, rather than wing as much. Just enjoying it, it feels a bit more natural as I sort of got drafted as a midfielder.”

Knevitt has trained as a full-time midfielder this pre-season. Picture: Josh Chadwick/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

You would have better luck predicting the crypto market than Geelong’s midfield mix from week to week, but forcing your way into the Cats’ on-ball brigade after the addition of Smith is easier said than done.

However, the 25th pick of 2021 draft is up for the challenge, believing his presence on the inside – standing one centimetre taller than Western Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli – and transition running can complement their current make-up.

“Definitely compete and work with them as well. We’ve all got sort of different strengths, that we can bounce off each other and work together,” Knevitt said.

“There is still a fair of football to be played but I feel like I’m in a good position now where it is up to me to just play well and put my hand up.”

The Grovedale product will be watched closely by Geelong’s selection committee and keen eyed SuperCoaches in the Cats’ practice matches as he vies for selection in their season-opener against Brisbane.

He is around six per cent of SuperCoach sides but that will surely rise is his strong pre-season contines, coming in at a favourable price of $149,800.

“Hopefully I can make them (owners) a bit of cash I guess,” he said with a laugh.

“I don’t really play it too much, I used to, but I know that your value goes up the more you play.”

Originally published as Geelong breakout contender Mitch Knevitt eyeing move inside after turning heads at the Cattery this pre-season