Geelong recruit Ollie Henry impresses in defence as Esava Ratugolea settles in
Geelong is keeping an open mind about where to play one of its recruits as two new faces put their hands up for time in defence.
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GEELONG is poised to toy with playing recruit Ollie Henry in defence, while born-again backman Esava Ratugolea has taken to playing down back “really well” throughout pre-season.
Traded in from Collingwood over the off-season, Henry has almost exclusively played his 22 AFL games up forward and has spent time up forward during drills with the Cats, while also having a run on the wing and at half-back.
With just under two months until round 1, the Cats are yet to begin bedding down positions but Geelong player development manager Matthew Egan said the springy youngster had showed strong signs as an intercept-marking defender.
“Some drills we have put him at half-back and he just keeps marking the ball … he reads the game really well,” Egan said.
“We are happy for him to experience a little bit down back, we throw him on the wing every now and then and when he plays forward, he can play deep and play high.
“So far this pre-season, he has had a range (of positions). When it comes closer to games he can mix and match a big with how the team is looking which is a good way to approach pre-season.”
After being sent back midway through last season, Ratugolea has continued to impress in his first full pre-season as a defender.
The 24-year-old was nearly traded to Port Adelaide over the off-season but has returned to Geelong in good shape and could form a twin towers pairing with young star Sam De Koning.
“Esava Ratugolea has played the whole pre-season down back and it’s been exciting to see him in that position, knowing we cans till be flexible with him,” Egan said.
“He is learning with some pretty experienced players like Zach Tuohy down there, Jack Henry, Tom Stewart, DK (De Koning), it’s a pretty strong group.
“He has shown he can play in the ruck and forward, he reads the game really well down back and his marking is really strong.
“The boys reckon if you get in a one-on-one with him, he is an absolute bull, that’s how strong he is. We are excited for him.”
Geelong is due to face Hawthorn and Brisbane in its pre-season hit-outs, before facing Collingwood at the MCG in round 1, on March 17.
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