Tom Stewart’s outstanding commitment to the community has been recognised with the vice-captain being named the 2023 Geelong Cats AFL Carter Family Community Champion at Thursday’s Carji Greeves Medal Night. 

Stewart has been an exemplary leader on and off the field for the Club and has been a key figure in many Cats Community programs, which includes working closely with the Good Friday Appeal for the past few years. 

The defender has been a key supporter in the Cats Wishes space, initiating Wishes and helping facilitate those brought to him by the Cats Community Team, always asking, “What more can we do?” to ensure a truly memorable experience for Cats fans going through difficult times, as well as their families. 

Earlier this year, Stewart continued his outstanding work with the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, visiting Cats fan Angus in the hospital, and later playing a key role as Angus made a ground-breaking visit to a Geelong’s Round 12 match, aided by an external heart machine. 

Stewart, who was the Cats’ 2023 Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award nominee, has also left his mark on several other Cats Community programs, including Junior Club Night clinics, GMHBA Healthy Heroes school visits and the AFL Community Camp in Warrnambool. He is also a Dulux Colour Your Club ambassador. 

Outside of the Club, the 30-year-old has also supported a My Room Children’s Cancer Charity auction, donating his 2022 Grand Final match-worn guernsey, and has supported the ‘2 feet and a heartbeat’ walk for Heart Kids, alongside his wife Emma. 

Stewart said his work in the community reflects his efforts to try to live the values of the team and continue the legacy of great Geelong community people before him. 

“I’m very lucky, and I think it really struck a chord with me: that the position we hold in the community isn’t something we should undervalue,” Stewart said. 

“I just think the right thing to do for a person in my status in the footballing community, the Geelong community and Victorian community in general, is just to be a part of it. 

“I follow the lead of those that have done it so well before me. Seeing Joel Selwood, Tom Hawkins and Pat Dangerfield, and Harry Taylor as well, and how much love they have for the Geelong community and greater community in general is just something that I jumped on the back of. 

“I was very lucky to be exposed to some fantastic people that had done it before me. I sort of felt that I would be doing them a disservice if I didn’t do my best as well.”