Match-up in the public eye: Key Cats missing, Hawks get a golden opportunity with unsigned hopefuls
Geelong will be down nearly half of their Grand Final squad for Monday’s practice match against Hawthorn, while two unsigned prospects will get a legit chance to secure a Hawks list spot.
Geelong and Hawthorn will stage an unofficial match-sim at the Kennedy Community Centre on Monday, kicking off a sequence of 18 club-vs-club hit-outs over the next two weeks before the season proper begins. (https://www.afl.com.au/news/1459833/blues-and-cats-open-2026-aami-community-series-vic-giants-head-to-ballarat)
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Hawthorn has named former North Melbourne player Flynn Perez and VFL standout Jack Riding in its 30-man squad, with both aiming to grab one of the vacant list spots ahead of the March 2 signing deadline. Fellow summer trialist Ethan Stanley has not been listed in the Hawthorn group, though.
As expected, Hawthorn will be without Jack Ginnivan due to a minor finger injury, while Finn Maginness will finally feature in a proper match for the first time since his kidney injury last July.
Geelong, meanwhile, have not included veteran Rhys Stanley (managed), Mark Blicavs (ankle) or Jack Martin (ankle), and live-wire forward Shaun Mannagh (managed) along with defender Zach Guthrie are also out.
For Geelong, star forwards Jeremy Cameron (quad) and Tyson Stengle (personal reasons) are absent, leaving their availability for round one in doubt.
Nine of the leading players across the two clubs—Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield, Bailey Smith, Max Holmes, Tom Stewart and Lawson Humphries, plus Hawthorn’s Blake Hardwick, Josh Battle, Jack Gunston and Tom Barrass—will miss the AAMI AFL Origin clash held on Saturday.
That means only 12 of Geelong’s 23 players from last year’s Grand Final defeat will participate.
The match marks James Worpel’s first true hit-out for Hawthorn since joining, facing his former teammates, while Tanner Bruhn returns for Geelong after missing the 2025 season due to charges that were later dropped.
With Stanley, Blicavs and Toby Conway unavailable, young Will Edwards and versatile Sam De Koning are expected to shoulder much of Geelong’s ruck duties.
All eyes will be on Connor Macdonald and Josh Weddle for Hawthorn, as Day’s continued absence will spotlight their increased midfield responsibilities in 2026.
AFL.com.au will provide live coverage of the Hawks vs. Cats match simulation on Monday, with exclusive viewing available on Kayo and Foxtel.
Hawthorn v Geelong, Kennedy Community Centre, 1:45pm AEDT
(4 x 30-minute quarters, no time-on)
HAWTHORN
- Harry Morrison, 2. Mitch Lewis, 3. Jai Newcombe, 4. Jarman Impey, 5. Nick Watson, 6. James Sicily, 7. Ned Reeves, 8. Dylan Moore, 9. Connor Macdonald, 10. Karl Amon, 11. Conor Nash, 13. Calshar Dear, 14. Jack Scrimshaw, 16. Massimo D’Ambrosio, 17. Lloyd Meek, 18. Mabior Chol, 20. Finn Maginness, 21. Noah Mraz, 23. Josh Weddle, 25. Josh Ward, 26. Bodie Ryan, 28. Cam Mackenzie, 29. Aidan Schubert, 30. Sam Butler, 35. Oliver Greeves, 38. Max Ramsden, 39. Flynn Perez, 40. Jack Riding, 42. Bailey Macdonald, 44. Henry Hustwaite
Absent: Tom Barrass, Jack Gunston, Josh Battle, Blake Hardwick, Jack Ginnivan, Will Day, Cam Nairn, Will McCabe, Matt Leray, Cody Anderson, Jack Dalton, James Blanck, Matt Hill, Jamie Uhr-Henry
GEELONG
- Jay Polkinghorne, 4. Tanner Bruhn, 10. Mitch Knevitt, 11. Mitch Edwards, 12. Jack Bowes, 13. Jhye Clark, 14. Connor O’Sullivan, 15. George Stevens, 16. Sam De Koning, 20. Jacob Molier, 21. Oli Wiltshire, 22. Hunter Holmes, 23. Lennox Hofmann, 24. Jed Bews, 27. Nick Driscoll, 28. Ollie Dempsey, 29. James Worpel, 30. Tom Atkins, 32. Gryan Miers, 33. Shannon Neale, 34. Oisin Mullin, 36. Ollie Henry, 37. Joe Pike, 38. Jack Henry, 41. Cillian Burke, 42. Mark O’Connor, 45. Brad Close
Absent: Patrick Dangerfield, Bailey Smith, Max Holmes, Tom Stewart, Lawson Humphries, Rhys Stanley, Jeremy Cameron, Tyson Stengle, Jack Martin, Shaun Mannagh, Jake Kolodjashnij, Zach Guthrie, Mark Blicavs
- Played in AAMI AFL Origin on Saturday
