Support our Geelong Cats elite athlete students as they prepare for Saturday’s AFL Grand Final!
Three Deakin elite athlete students and Geelong Cats players are currently awaiting news on whether they’ll join the line-up to face off against 2019 premiers the Richmond Tigers in the 2020 AFL Grand Final this weekend.
Jake Kolodjashnij, Jacob Kennerley and Zach Guthrie have a chance of being selected this week to play in the season final following the Cats’ nail-biting 82–42 preliminary final victory against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba on Saturday. Despite having the home ground advantage, the Lions failed in their attempts to claw their way back from Geelong’s marginal lead by half-time, before the Cats hit their stride with Jack McHenry and Gary Ablett Jr scoring third-quarter goals that sealed the team’s dominance.
An indefatigable defender against the Lions’ Charlie Cameron on Saturday, Kolodjashnij is widely tipped to be chosen by assistant coach Matthew Scarlett for the final given his proven tenacity in fending off the Tigers’ formidable mid-fielder Dustin Martin.
‘If he [Scarlett] gives me the tap on the shoulder come Thursday I’ll be more than happy to play on Dusty,’ Kolodjashnij told AFL.com.au earlier this week.
‘It’s obviously a big role and he’s a key player for them, so it’s a challenge I’m looking forward to if it does come my way.’
While Guthrie is listed as an emergency stand-in and joined Tuesday’s training session to ready himself for possible selection – and despite star full-forward Tom Hawkin’s notable absence due to illness – the Cats are predicted to stick with the same finals squad for Saturday as far as possible, leaving Guthrie and Kennerley’s inclusion in question for now but taking nothing away from their impressive performances this year.
We’re eagerly awaiting the line-up announcements on Thursday and congratulate all the boys on yet another magnificent season.
Cheer on our beloved Cats on Saturday!
Watch the Geelong Cats take on the Richmond Tigers in the 2020 AFL Grand Final this Saturday 24 October at the Brisbane Cricket Ground, better known affectionately as The Gabba.
The current COVID-19 restrictions in Victoria will see the final take a historic break from tradition this year, as the Grand Final has never been held outside its home city of Melbourne since the establishment of the AFL in 1896.
The Grand Final free-to-air coverage will begin at 4.30pm AEDT time on Channel 7 (and 7Plus), with the pre-game entertainment set to begin at 6.30pm before the kick-off at approximately 7.30pm.
Enjoy the game, and carn the mighty blue and white!