Pre-season fixtures can be as meaningful as you choose them to be, but there is no question the Cats discovered a lot about themselves from their first JLT Community Series match-up.

The result may have been a four-point loss to Hawthorn, however what was most evident from the Cats’ trip to Launceston was the performance of Geelong’s new faces and next wave of talent, with no less than six players making their “debut” for the club.

Here’s how they fared:

Zach Tuohy – 33 disposals, seven marks, six inside 50’s, 87.9% disposal efficiency

The logic of recruiting Zach Tuohy seemed self-evident at the time of the deal in late 2016, but for any doubters, there was last Friday night against the Hawks. The Irishman was arguably the Cats’ most influential player on the ground, launching multiple attacking plays from across half-back. His teammates sought to get the ball in his hands and he didn’t let them down with 87.9% disposal efficiency. Defensively, Tuohy was sound in one-on-one contests but it was the drive from defence that proved he can fill a glaring need for Geelong in 2017.

Zach Guthrie – 24 disposals, two marks, one goal

As it stands, Zach Guthrie is too often mentioned in the same sentence as his older brother Cameron. But against Hawthorn, in his first taste of senior football, Zach showed he has the makings of a special player in his own right. The 18-year-old read the game remarkably well and collected 24 disposals by making good position around the ground. He put his head over the football despite his slight frame, kept himself in the contest against the likes of Cyril Rioli and Tyrone Vickery and even kicked a long, team-lifting goal to cap off a promising start to his career. 

Tom Stewart – 16 disposals, eight marks, six tackles

Tom Stewart came to the Cats’ as a ready-made player and was exactly that in JLT1. The 23-year-old has great aerial ability and not only pulled in eight marks for the night, but spoiled with aggression and intent when necessary. He was not afraid to switch the ball in defence and certainly pledged a firm case for a round one debut.

Aaron Black – 13 disposals, four tackles, four goals

Four goals in your first outing for a new club is exactly the right way to start. Aaron Black made the most of his opportunities against Hawthorn, whether it was through quick thinking in congestion or via set shot. With Tom Hawkins and Harry Taylor kept reasonably quiet, the Cats needed another avenue to goal and Black was exactly that. 

Brandan Parfitt – 11 disposals, two marks, five inside 50’s, one goal

The Cats’ first pick from 2016 got his hands on it early and was involved in some nice passages of play as the side looked to work the ball around and compose. Drifted in and out of the game as one would expect from any young player, though Parfitt did hit the scoreboard for a goal and was second only to Zach Tuohy for inside 50’s. 

Jack Henry – Five disposals, two tackles, one goal

The rookie-listed Jack Henry could have easily had three goals next to his name, but ultimately came away with a single major. The 18-year-old was able to provide an option for his teammates at half forward and worked hard to keep the ball in. A taste of AFL football will do him the world of good as he looks to improve in 2017.