After three full seasons as one of the competition's premier wingers, it is safe to say that Ollie Dempsey has completely changed the requirements of the role and despite plenty of coverage around his remarkable offensive prowess, he is still proving nearly impossible to stop for opponents. 

The young star burst onto the scene in 2024, wowing crowds with his incredible running capacity and taking out the AFL's Rising Star award, but it proved to be just the beginning in his evolution. 

Dempsey would go to even greater heights in 2025, continually testing opposition defences and kicking an impressive 35 goals for the season, which also included 11 different games where he kicked multiple goals. 

Even with two years' worth of evidence about his impact, teams still have not figured out an answer for how to slow Dempsey down, with the young star already kicking 28 majors this season following another four-goal haul against the Bombers last Saturday. 

Joining Cameron Ling and Zach Tuohy on 'To the Final Bell,' Dempsey said he is still trying to continue his evolution to keep opposition teams accountable each and every week. 

29:35

To The Final Bell Round 23 | Ollie Dempsey chats all things wing!

*Future All-Australian winger Ollie Dempsey join Lingy and Reg on this weeks episode of TTFB to chat his wing role, different coloured boots and how the Cats have got back into form. Lingy and Reg review the Essendon game aswell as look ahead to a massive double header this weekend!

"It is a different way to play the role," Dempsey said.

"I feel like I have been doing that over the last few years, and it is funny seeing other teams do the same thing now.

"It is cool to see that as well, but I am just sort of evolving it. It is a bit more of an offensive wingman essentially, but I am still learning to get back as well at the right times, and forward as well.

"The balance of it is really important."

With how incredible Dempsey has been over the last three years, he has been thrown a number of different challenges from opposition teams, as they all search for an answer on how to stop the dynamic winger. 

00:47

Part the Dempsey: Electric Ollie flies through with flashy first

Ollie Dempsey pounces on the loose ball and activates the jets with a brilliant bursting opener

Dempsey noted that it is something he has to take into consideration each week, trying to decipher how different teams will play him and how they look to nullify his influence. 

"That is the challenge of it," Dempsey said. 

"I have traditionally had a lot more defensive players playing on the wing on me, which I find it a bit harder going forward when they are a defender and they are expecting it.

"As you said, when I played Melbourne this year, it was a bit the opposite and they were a bit more offensive-minded.

"It brings both challenges, but I really enjoy it either way. It means I can get back and defend, or be more offensive and week to week it changes."

While he is lauded by the external AFL community for his impact offensively, Dempsey also works hard into defence and is generally there on the last line to lend a hand when the Cats need it. 

He discussed the balance of working hard both ways and how that has been something he has focused on as the next step in his evolution. 

"Definitely in the defensive 50, getting back," Dempsey said when asked what he had been working on. 

"I feel like that is the big part of it, because as you said I came in as a forward and even in 2024 when I started playing, I was pretty much a forward starting on the wing.

"Where as now, I feel like I can play the wing just as well as anyone each way.

"I feel like I take a bit of pride in that, being able to defend as well and be strong below my knees in the defensive 50, it is very important. I feel like I have been working on that pretty heavily."