Geelong tall Sam De Koning opens up on being overlooked for 2024 finals, his role and re-signing with Cats
Sam De Koning won a flag in his 24th game. Since then it has been a rollercoaster. He opens up on being overlooked for the 2024 finals, his injury issues and where he sees his role long-term.
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Sam De Koning had a fairytale start to his AFL career.
At the age of 21, De Koning burst onto the scene as a key defender in 2022 and by his 24th game he was a premiership player.
“The first year of playing in ’22, it was kind of all uphill,” De Koning said.
“Shaky start, but towards the end of the year, was playing consistent footy and we ended up winning the flag. So didn’t really know what the rollercoaster that everyone was talking about (that) an AFL career really was.”
Then the harsh realities of AFL footy hit him right between the eyes – literally.
The talented tall broke “a lot of the bones in his face” against Essendon in round seven of 2023 which left him wearing a Batman mask upon his return.
Reaching lofty heights so early in his football career, De Koning found himself unable to replicate his sparkling 2022 season due to injury and form.
And a minor knee setback in round 21 last year against Adelaide — who he comes up against this week — led to the hardest point of the 204 centimetre big man’s career.
De Koning was only sidelined for a few weeks after undergoing surgery and he pressed for AFL qualifying selection in the pre-finals bye in Geelong VFL’s own qualifying final – his first VFL game since 2021.
He played in that clash as a ruckman — a role he first played against his older brother Tom De Koning in the back-half of 2024 to help build his confidence — but didn’t do enough to win a spot for Geelong’s qualifying final against Port Adelaide.
De Koning could only watch on as the Cats upset the Power to book a preliminary final berth.
Attention centred on Geelong champion Tom Hawkins on the comeback trail the following day for the Cats’ VFL semi-final contest with Southport, but De Koning was also auditioning for that famous final against Brisbane.
De Koning was solid but was ultimately beaten by Southport ruckman Brayden Crossley as the Cats bowed out of the VFL finals in straight sets.
The 24-year-old said missing out on the Cats’ finals run was difficult. But having what he loves taken away from him served as important motivation.
“Probably the hardest point of my AFL career so far, not being in that side that was pushing through finals,” De Koning said.
“I knew what I could bring to the team but injuries just came at the wrong time. I’ve processed that, and I was happy for the players that were coming in, and we were doing an amazing job and we came so close.
“So personally it was really hard, and it actually helped me grow so much over the pre-season and showed me kind of what it takes to be an AFL player and a consistent one.
“And I really wanted to work hard and come back from surgery and really have an impact at the start of the year.
“I’ve taken a lot from the last two years and really not taken the position that I have and the help that I have for granted. And to be able to come out this season (with) a full bill of health and showing my skills, I’m excited for what I can do for the rest of the year.”
‘BE LIKE BLITZ’
De Koning had further surgery on his knee in the off-season and only returned to full training just before the Christmas break.
He returned to the track noticeably stronger and honed his ruck craft over the pre-season, and as the season drew closer it became abundantly clear he would be taking the ruck reins, with the injury-riddled Toby Conway carefully managed with foot and back concerns.
De Koning starred in his first game as Geelong’s No.1 ruckman in their season-opener against Fremantle, but found the going tougher in his duel with Rowan Marshall in round two and on a humid night in Brisbane.
The defender-ruckman was tactically subbed out of the game in the final term against the Lions with the game in the balance, but he didn’t lose any sleep over that call.
“The conditions kind of got me last week. The double cramping the calves in the third quarter, I don’t think the coaches were too keen on seeing me run out the game with two calf cramps,” De Koning chuckled.
“But that happens, conditions in Brisbane were hot and I was happy to see ‘Knev’ (Mitch Knevitt) come on and I thought we needed that run and drive.
“It was nothing personal, it was just the circumstances and the conditions and I’m confident in my position in the team.”
De Koning was set for a challenging match-up against Max Gawn until Blicavs was ruled out with gastro last Friday.
“I got a call from Scotty (on Friday) at lunch time, I don’t know what I was thinking when I got the call from ‘Scotty’,” De Koning recalled.
“But he just said that ‘Blitz’ was sick and wasn’t going to play, and Rhys was going to be in, and I’d be playing more of ‘Blitz’s’ role.”
De Koning looked comfortable back in defence as he went to just six ruck contests – compared to 145 over the first three rounds – and took three intercept marks.
He also pushed forward to kick a goal in the first half while he was in the ruck.
Whether it is key defence or ruck, De Koning isn’t fazed by what role he plays in the short or long-term. He just wants to help the team in whatever he way he can, like his mentor Blicavs.
“I don’t like to put a label on where I play my best, I feel like that’s a mental barrier that I don’t want there,” De Koning said.
“And that versatile player, kind of like ‘Blitz’, he’s a huge mentor for me and his career has been amazing. It’s been pretty underrated the whole time and the things he’s been able to do for the team and helping the team succeed every year.
“So if I could be half the player that he is – and half as versatile – that would be my goal at the end of the day, and have a career where I can just help the team win.”
SIGNING ON
Last week, De Koning extended his stay at Geelong until the end of 2027.
He was the latest in a wave of re-signings, which included other key pillars in Geelong’s future like Ollie Henry, Shannon Neale and Conway.
De Koning said it was an easy decision to stay loyal.
“No thoughts of going anywhere else,” De Koning said.
“To be able to sign for another two years, I was really happy, and I love the culture of the club and where we are and to be able to be in this environment, every day, I’m pretty lucky,”
“To able to be drafted to Geelong, I’m really grateful. And to sign for another two years, it’s something I’m really happy and proud of.”
His older brother Tom remains unsigned at Carlton amid speculation he could land at St Kilda at season’s end.
Sam joked he would be getting in Tom’s ear about the prospect of heading up the ruck division at the Cats.
“Tom and I don’t talk too much about footy, but there’s always room for him if he wants to come down for sure,” Sam said with a smile.
“So I’ll be nudging him and see what I can do for the team, because he has been going well.”
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