Geelong complete third important signing after locking in Jack Henry as Cats appear set to continue bucking equalisation trend

Fans expecting Geelong to slide, think again. Contract concerns that the Cats had entering the year have subsided with a minimum of fuss, leaving their flag window wide open.

Geelong had a stack of players coming out of contract at the beginning of the year, but three in particular were crucial to the club’s long-term success.

Exhilarating halfback and midfielder Max Holmes, 21, livewire small forward Tyson Stengle, 25, and resolute defender Jack Henry, 25.

That trio – Stengle and Henry eligible as free agents – have re-signed with a minimum of fuss before the end of the home-and-away season, keeping Geelong’s premiership window wide open into the future.

Last night football boss Andrew Mackie crossed Henry’s name off the whiteboard after he signed a fresh five-year deal, an early birthday present before turning 26 later this month.

Another important piece of their defence, underrated Zach Guthrie, also had a gift of his own ahead of his 100th game, penning a three-year extension until the end of 2028.

Stengle comes out of contract at the same time as Henry after he turned his back on rival offers in June, while Holmes signed until the end of 2028.

There was probably never any doubt Henry was going anywhere. His junior club is a drop punt away from Kardinia Park and his younger brother, Ollie, infamously joined the club ahead of the 2023 season.

Still, to get these three signed on long term will have Geelong grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Jack Henry is locked in until the end of 2029. Picture: Will Russell/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“I didn’t really have any other option, I was always going to stay at Geelong and stoked to have it all done now,” Henry said.

“It probably hasn’t necessarily sunk in yet, the idea of five years, especially given the opportunity we have rolling into the back-end of this year. That definitely takes up a lot of my thoughts these days, but it is a really nice thing to have that security.

“I probably haven’t thought about how we are going to look in the future too much, but it is definitely nice knowing that there will be a few guys around that I am familiar playing with.”

This time last year, Henry was forced to go under the knife for the third time in 18 months after tearing his Lisfranc ligament in his left foot – his ‘good’ foot after several issues with his right previously.

“It was a hard time for sure, but I think you rarely would go through your career and not find yourself have a few hard times,” Henry said.

“And the footy club were great in terms of helping me deal with everything, so that’s almost an added bonus with this contract that they have given me as well.

Henry’s rotten luck has turned and he has been able to recapture his best form down back averaging career highs for intercepts (6.4 per game), intercept marks (2.3) and spoils (4.8).

He took four important intercept marks against St Kilda, all of those contested.

The 192 centimetre defender said he wasn’t motivated by being unsigned.

Jack Henry flies for a grab against the Saints. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“(My contract) was in the back of my mind coming off a pretty decent rehab stint, I was pretty happy to just be back playing and I was trying to get good consistency on the footy field and hopefully let everything take care of itself off the field,” Henry said.

“It wasn’t in the forefront of my mind much this year.

“I was always happy just to try and get back and build back to probably some of my better form and that definitely took priority. I wasn’t in any sort of rush to have it all done and it wasn’t going to affect me mentally, where I was sitting in that position contract-wise.”

“I just wanted to play good footy.”

Henry and Guthrie both feel privileged to play alongside their siblings.

“Something that I’m sure that in the future I will look back really fondly on, and even day to day I feel really lucky to be on a similar schedule to him, chat through things, get his assistance,” Guthrie said of Cam, who is working his way back from an achilles injury.

“He has been really important for my career and my development, so to this point it’s been a huge part of my career.”

“It is very special coming in day to day and just spending time with him and just watching him learn the game and get better and be alongside him as well,” Henry added.

Geelong’s biggest name of all, captain Patrick Dangerfield, and reliable defender Jake Kolodjashnij shape as their next two contract priorities.

Dangerfield’s form is justifying the two-year contract he is reportedly angling for, while Kolodjashnij said earlier this year that it would be his preference to remain at the club.

Add the potential of Western Bulldogs star Bailey Smith next year, and the Cats look destined to continue to buck the equalisation trend.

Originally published as Geelong complete third important signing after locking in Jack Henry as Cats appear set to continue bucking equalisation trend