Geelong Cats: Eight club legends who could be in their final seasons in Geelong
With an ageing list and a plethora of young talent coming through the system, Geelong could see a number of club legends and premiership players call time on their careers. Find out which Cats are likely to hang up the boots in 2024.
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Geelong has long been on the receiving end of jokes about its role as a ‘retirement village’ for the elder statesmen of the AFL, having harboured many 30+ year olds at GMHBA Stadium in an effort to remain in a premiership window.
It has worked as well, claiming the 2022 flag before missing finals last year.
But with a new wave of young Cats stars rising the ranks at Kardinia Park, and some of the club’s greats hitting true veteran age, questions will be asked of the older generation that are coming out of contract.
With more than 20 players out of contract at the end of 2024, Geelong has eight players over the age of 30 that the club needs to make a decision on, and the players need to decide whether they will go around once again.
The footy experts at The Addy have broken down each 30+ year old that is out of contract at the end of 2024, and made a call on whether they are a chance at retirement this year.
Cam Guthrie
31 years old
2024 Retirement: Unlikely
Guthrie endured a wretched run of injury in 2023, held to just the first six games of the season before suffering a bizarre toe joint injury that kept him sidelined the rest of the season. Even the Cats medical team was baffled by his slow recovery rate, and by the time he had got over his injury, Geelong was not challenging for a finals spot and he was shut down for the year. But Guthrie has had no issues in the pre-season so far, and will be expected to add a bit of grunt to Geelong’s midfield mix after a down year. It would take another run of injuries for Guthrie to even contemplate retirement, and he is expected to sign an extension to remain at the club beyond 2024.
Gary Rohan
32 years old
2024 Retirement: Maybe
Rohan’s career beyond 2024 will hinge on his ability to stay fit and keep his spot inside Geelong’s best 22. He has been a long-time favourite of coach Chris Scott, with Rohan’s off-the-ball intensity adding a different component to Geelong’s forward line. But Rohan plays a similar medium forward marking option that young Cat Ollie Henry plays, which will make team selections throughout 2024 and intriguing watch. Rohan and Henry played 15 games alongside each other, so there is a chance they do it again in 2024, but with Geelong adding Shaun Mannagh in the draft to play a small forward role, the mix up front will likely get a shake up. If Henry is preferred to Rohan as the future for that role, Rohan may not be extended, or extend, beyond 2024.
Jed Bews
30 years old
2024 Retirement: Unlikely
Bews was another Cat that struggled with injury throughout 2023, which hindered their premiership defence. The reliable lockdown defender played just 15 games last season, with two stints out of the senior side as he battled injury. Geelong’s back six, when healthy, is one of the most stable in the competition and Bews is an important member of the group. At just 30 years old, Bews is not pushing retirement age and it would be a shock if he hangs up the boots. Expect a contract extension at some stage during the season.
Mitch Duncan
32 years old
2024 Retirement: Likely
Duncan still is class by foot, and is one of Geelong’s best users off the back flank. But he will be 33 by the end of the season, and his last three seasons have been impacted by injury, missing 20 games since the start of the 2021 campaign. Duncan battled soft-tissue injuries last year, missing the start of the campaign with a calf complaint before suffering a hamstring injury midway through the season. There was talks of a potential retirement at the end of 2023, but with Duncan signing an extension until the end of 2024 back in 2019, it was always likely he would fulfil his contractual obligations.
Pat Dangerfield
33 years old
2024 Retirement: Maybe
The skipper is a hard one to judge when it comes to a potential retirement. 34 at the end of the season and out of contract, he has battled injuries since the start of 2021 but would have all the say on whether his career ends or extends after this season. Dangerfield has copped criticism over the past few seasons over a lack of fitness, with Scott eager to use his captain primarily as a forward, which is a move that could extend his career. A Cats premiership could be one way the football champion sails off into the sunset.
Rhys Stanley
33 years old
2024 Retirement: Likely
There is an expectation that Stanley takes a back seat in the senior side this season and young star Toby Conway surpasses him in the number one ruck role. Recently-turned 33 years old, Stanley played just 13 games in 2023 and has never played a full season, hitting the 20-game mark in just two seasons (2022 and 2016). Despite averaging his worst disposal count since 2016, a career-low in marks and worst clearance numbers since 2017, Stanley averaged a career-high in hit outs in 2023. But Stanley is likely to spend 2023 mentoring and playing a back up role to Conway, with a round 24 preview to that when the young gun debuted against the Western Bulldogs and the veteran played as a key forward in Jeremy Cameron’s absence. With Shannon Neale also developing his ruck craft and Geelong drafting Mitch Edwards as a project piece, Stanley’s time at the club could be coming to an end.
Tom Hawkins
35 years old
2024 Retirement: Likely
The legendary key forward has been ageing like a fine wine since turning 30 back in 2018, producing career-best numbers that defied Father Time. But Hawkins started to show cracks in 2023, missing games in the home-and-away season for the first time since 2018, and while he still booted 49 goals it was his lowest output since 2015 and was tied for his second lowest since 2011. His early season form was poor after coming off an injury-interrupted pre-season, but was quickly forgotten after kicking some big bags of goals. Another year on, Hawkins has enjoyed a issue-free pre-season so far, but it is coming to the end of his illustrious career.
Zach Tuohy
34 years old
2024 Retirement: Likely
One of the game’s greatest imports, Tuohy had a milestone-filled 2023 campaign which helped paper over a clear downturn in his form at the club. Tuohy was one of the last Cats to sign an extension for 2024, and while he is a favourite of Chris Scott’s, his position in Geelong’s best 23 players is questionable heading into the new season. Out of contract at the end of 2024, Tuohy will likely be surpassed during the season by young winger Mitch Knevitt and fellow Irishman Oisin Mullin for a place on the wing, while Tuohy would struggle to beat out players like Duncan, Jack Bowes, Jake Kolodjashnij and Tom Stewart for medium-sized defender roles.
Originally published as Geelong Cats: Eight club legends who could be in their final seasons in Geelong
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