Geelong’s Chloe Scheer, Caitie Tipping, Sienna Tallariti to miss start of 2025 AFLW season

Geelong will get two key players back for Saturday’s scratch match against Gold Coast - but a host of others are still weeks away from returns from injury. Plus, Cats take honours in first hitout over Saints.

Chloe Sheer’s last AFLW appearance was in November, 2023 following a series of injuries. Picture: Brad Fleet

Geelong expect to regain star midfielder Amy McDonald and Irish defender Rachel Kearns for Saturday night’s pre-season clash with Gold Coast.

But the Cats have ruled out star forward Chloe Scheer and recruits Caitie Tipping and Sienna Tallariti to start of the AFLW season - to kick off August 16 - in their own recoveries from injury.

Geelong AFLW player Amy McDonald has managed a stress response in her foot over pre-season. Picture: Alison Wynd

McDonald (foot) and Kearns (ankle) missed the Cats’ first pre-season hit out with St Kilda on Saturday – the Cats prevailing 9.11 (59) to 4.5 (29) – but are expected to be right to head up to the Gold Coast.

For Scheer, a recent arthroscopy on her left knee appears to have put a return to football further back – her return date to become clearer in coming weeks – after the two-time Cats leading goalkicker’s entire 2024 season was wiped out with a toe injury.

Tipping is expected to be sidelined for another 6-8 weeks after injuring her left knee back in April in the VFLW, with a return to running expected within the week.

Tallariti, drafted by the Cats in December with pick 18, is still 5-6 week away from a return following ankle surgery, while Gabbi Featherston will target a round 2 return from a hamstring strain.

Sienna Tallariti has faced a injury-interrupted start to life at Geelong. Picture: Geelong Cats

Meanwhile, recruit Erica Fowler is undergoing further assessment on a chest contusion, her return to play date to be clearer this week.

The Cats started their preparation towards round 1 in strong fashion with the 30-point win over the Saints on Saturday.

Kate Darby got the Cats off to a good start with two first quarter goals, while Irish star Aishling Moloney added two herself in the second and fourth quarter.

An inaccurate 1.6 third term was the only blight, though the Cats managed to maintain inside 50 dominance.

Draftee Piper Dunlop started in the ruck, with midfielders Georgie Prespakis and Nina Morrison impressing with their drive forward.

Cats forwards coach Andrew Bruce was pleased to see players’ pre-season work come to fruition.

“There was certainly some connections that really worked well for us with our mids hitting up our forwards – there was a lot of growth moments for us,” Bruce told Cats Media.

Bruce praised recruit Emma Kilpatrick for a strong performance in defence, with the South Australian joining Dunlop and Lexi Gregor in playing their first games in hoops at the AFLW level, while Mekah Morrissy and Hayley Peck also lined up from the Cats’ VFLW program.

Meanwhile, second-year Cat Bryde O’Rourke impressed in her role on the wing, before going forward to kick a goal.

The 19-year-old, whose 2024 season ended early with injury, said it was good for the Cats to get some footy under their belt for the first time in nearly nine months.

“We’ve had a hard pre-season in terms of injury so to see those two especially come out and play the way they did, pretty happy with their performances,” O’Rourke told Cats Media.

O’Rourke said she was enjoying her role on the wing, pointing to Julia Crockett-Grills as one player she mirrored this pre-season for her physically and “win the ball back mentality”.

“Just trying to soak up these practice matches... trying to get as much game experience and game time as I can,” she said.

“Definitely over the pre-season I’ve work on my contested game, my physical pressure, and just be present with my physicality.”

Originally published as Geelong’s Chloe Scheer, Caitie Tipping, Sienna Tallariti to miss start of 2025 AFLW season