Geelong forward Gryan Miers implores Cats to continue targeting the best after being linked to Matt Rowell

Gold Coast bull Matt Rowell has been linked to Geelong, and Gryan Miers has a message for those criticising the Cats’ approach.

Geelong forward Gryan Miers has implored the Cats to continue going after the competition’s best after the club was linked to Gold Coast bull Matt Rowell.

It was reported this week that the 2018 No.1 pick, who comes out of contract at the end of this year, and his manager met with Geelong coach Chris Scott and football boss Andrew Mackie late last year.

Geelong’s snared Bailey Smith from the Western Bulldogs in last year’s trade period and went after Melbourne ball-magnet Clayton Oliver after their nail-biting preliminary final defeat to eventual premiers Brisbane.

Miers, 25, said he didn’t know if the Cats were pursuing the Suns clearance king but backed the club’s aggressive approach.

Matt Rowell in action against Geelong in Darwin last year. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“He’s one of the best players in the league, so it’s pretty straight forward that our recruiting team are doing a great job,” Miers said.

“And that’s what everyone gets cut up about, is that we’re targeting great players and we’ve targeted them in the past and end up getting them. They’ll keep doing that job - and that is their job to do, is just target the best.

“And I actually don’t know if we’re going for him but if we are, then good luck to him, good luck to us that if it happens, it’ll be exciting. And I hope we keep going after those big names.”

Miers knows Geelong list management team first hand, having worked in their recruiting team led by veteran scout Stephen Wells.

The silky Cat likened the club’s approach to NFL franchise the Philadelphia Eagles and referenced their previous success in landing big-names Jeremy Cameron and Patrick Dangerfield from rival clubs.

“Philadelphia did the same thing. They target the big names and now they are going to a Super Bowl.

“You don’t want to sit on your heels and let others take the best players in the league — if we fail at getting these players, so be it.

“But we’ve got Jeremy Cameron and won a premiership with him and we’ve had great success with it. The other players we’ve got - Danger ten years ago.

“So you got to keep doing it and the only way to get better is by getting better players. And that makes the players like me in the team, see those guys come and go ‘I don’t want them to steal my spot’. So I’m trying to get better as well.”

Rowell shapes as a perfect addition for the Cats alongside Smith with ageing superstar Dangerfield coming to the end after signing a two-year contract at the end of 2024.

However, Miers quipped that the Cats skipper won’t be giving up his spot that easy.

“’Danger’ reckons he has got 10 years left, so ‘Rowelly’ can come and play half forward with me,” Miers joked.

Originally published as Geelong forward Gryan Miers implores Cats to continue targeting the best after being linked to Matt Rowell