The selection crunch at Geelong was exacerbated this off-season, with Cats fans left in shock after the club opted to delist two beloved emerging, albeit inexperienced, midfield youngsters.
The Cats are hoping to continue the momentum they built throughout the 2025 season that saw them reach a third Grand Final this decade and have since filled out their engine room with the established AFL-calibre services of James Worpel, a previous best-and-fairest winner at Hawthorn.
However, this influx of talent in Geelong’s midfield has meant two key players have been pushed out of the mix, despite one of them displaying career-best efforts in 2025.
That pair is, of course, Ted Clohesy and George Stevens.
So, why have these list management moves been deemed questionable by the Geelong faithful and why should rivals be keenly eyeing the duo ahead of the 2025 rookie draft?
Clohesy had a mini breakout campaign in 2025, featuring in a career-best nine senior games during his third year on the Cats’ rookie list. His physicality around the contest and hard-nosed efforts, which saw half of his possessions come as contested, were rewarded with a run of three consecutive games where he did not start as the medical substitute and instead found himself in the best 22.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 29: Ted Clohesy and Jhye Clark of the Cats are seen prior to the 2025 AFL Round 03 match between the Brisbane Lions and the Geelong Cats at The Gabba on March 29, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
In games where Clohesy featured in at least 50% time on ground, he averaged 13.3 disposals with 6.3 of those being contested possessions, highlighting some of the untapped potential the 21-year-old still has to give to the league.
Arguably Clohesy’s best game came in his final appearance of 2025. Geelong enlisted him in the midfield in scrappy conditions at GMHBA Stadium in Round 13 against Gold Coast and the youngster thrived, recording seven contested possessions, four clearances, eight tackles and 23 pressure acts.
According to AFL.com.au earlier this month, Essendon, Gold Coast and West Coast had been “keeping tabs” on Clohesy’s situation at Geelong and with him now off the list, may swoop in to secure his talents for 2026.
It would be smart to do so because it is evident that Clohesy has the skillset to contribute to a winning brand of football as an inside midfielder and has plenty to offer at AFL level. He’s a class above the rest at VFL level, where he averaged 27.8 disposals and 6.5 marks per game, so an opportunity to prove himself in the senior side consistently seems to be deserved.
As for George Stevens, there is a caveat with his delisting. Geelong have promised to select him in the rookie draft, meaning he will likely return to Kardinia Park to back up his sensational two games at AFL level this year.
GEELONG, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 19: Lawson Humphries and George Stevens of the Cats train during a Geelong Cats AFL training session at GMHBA Stadium on February 19, 2025 in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
However, that promise shouldn’t prevent rivals from swooping in to claim him ahead of Geelong in the draft or signing him beforehand as a delisted free agent.
Stevens’ 14 score involvements from 21 disposals were the most ever recorded in a debut, earning him a Brownlow Medal vote for his efforts. Similarly to Clohesy, he’s looked well above his VFL counterparts, averaging 27.4 disposals and 5.9 tackles per game.
While it’s likely that the 20-year-old resumes his spot on the Cats next season, there’s few players in the delisted free agent market with more potential than him.
Time will tell if a fresh start for Clohesy will be what he needs to establish himself as a consistent AFL-calibre player, and if Stevens immense potential he flashed in his debut is legitimate or not, but the decision to axe both of them, even with the plan to eventually re-draft Stevens, is understandably a head scratcher nonetheless.