In the 2022 season, the Geelong Cats reached the Australian Football League (AFL) grand final after finishing the regular season as minor premiers. The club went on to defeat the Sydney Swans to become AFL premiers for the tenth time. This victory followed several seasons of AFL finals agony, during which Geelong tried and failed to win a first premiership since 2011. The club will now be looking to build on the success of the 2022 season and record another strong campaign in 2023. With up-and-coming players such as Tanner Bruhn and Oliver Henry joining the side and adding depth to an already formidable squad, the team is well-placed to do just that – but can Geelong go all the way again?
2023 Squad
Head Coach
Chris Scott (AUS)
Defenders
Jed Bews (AUS)
Jack Bowes (AUS)
Mitch Duncan (AUS)
Zach Guthrie (AUS)
Oisin Mullin (IRE)
Mark O’Connor (IRE)
Osca Riccardi (AUS)
Tom Stewart (AUS) “VC”
Cooper Whyte (AUS)
Key Defenders
Sam De Koning (AUS)
Jack Henry (AUS)
Jake Kolodjashnij (AUS)
Esava Ratugolea (AUS)
Oscar Murdoch (AUS)
Midfielders
Tom Atkins (AUS)
Mark Blicavs (AUS)
Tanner Bruhn (AUS)
Jhye Clark (AUS)
Ted Clohesy (AUS)
Patrick Dangerfield (AUS) “C”
Cameron Guthrie (AUS)
Max Holmes (AUS)
Mitch Knevitt (AUS)
Flynn Kroeger (AUS)
Sam Menegola (AUS)
Brandan Parfitt (AUS)
Isaac Smith (AUS)
Zach Tuohy (IRE)
James Willis (AUS)
Ruckmen
Jonathon Ceglar (AUS)
Toby Conway (AUS)
Rhys Stanley (AUS)
Forwards
Brad Close (AUS)
Oliver Dempsey (AUS)
Oliver Henry (AUS)
Gryan Miers (AUS)
Gary Rohan (AUS)
Sam Simpson (AUS)
Tyson Stengle (AUS)
Key Forwards
Jeremy Cameron (AUS)
Phoenix Foster (AUS)
Tom Hawkins (AUS)
Shannon Neale (AUS)
“C” = Captain / “VC” = Vice-Captain
2023 Schedule
During the 2023 season, the Geelong Cats will play a total of 23 regular season matches across 24 rounds, with a bye round during one week of the season. Of these 23 matches, 12 will be played at home, and 11 played away from home. The Geelong Cats will play against 6 of their 17 fellow AFL sides twice, once at home and once away; they will play against the other 11 sides once only, with approximately half of these 11 fixtures played at home, and the rest played away. The club’s first match of the season was against Collingwood, on 17 March, at Melbourne Cricket Ground. The final Cats games of the regular season will be in August, against the Western Bulldogs, at GMHBA Stadium.
You can find the full Geelong Cats season schedule here.
2023 Rivals
Over the course of the 2023 season, the Geelong Cats will compete against the Adelaide Crows, Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Fremantle, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants, Hawthorn, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Richmond, St. Kilda, Sydney Swans, West Coast Eagles, and the Western Bulldogs.
Collingwood and Hawthorn are the main rivals to the Geelong Cats. The Geelong-Collingwood rivalry is more historic, having come to the fore in the 1920’s and 1930’s. The rivalry with Hawthorn is more modern, emerging from grand final encounters in 1989 and 2008, and characterised by the supposed “Kennett Curse” which prevented Hawthorn from beating Geelong for almost 5 years. This season, Geelong played against Collingwood in round 1, and against Hawthorn in round 4. The Cats and Collingwood are scheduled to meet once more in the regular season, however:
2023 AFL Finals
During the 2022 campaign, the Geelong Cats qualified for the AFL finals after finishing the regular season at the top of the table. The club then progressed through the finals to the grand final, where the team beat the Sydney Swans to claim the AFL premiership. The victory was the club’s first since 2011.
The 2023 AFL finals will take place across 4 weeks, following the conclusion of the regular season. The finals is comprised of 4 rounds of matches, with teams knocked-out after one or two defeats, depending on where they finished in the regular season. The finals will culminate with the 2023 grand final, which is expected to take place on 30 September.
2023 Tickets & Prices
The GMHBA Stadium in Geelong, the home venue of the Geelong Cats, has a maximum capacity of 36,000. During the 2022 AFL season, the Geelong Cats attracted an average attendance of over 28,000. Ticket prices for Geelong Cats home matches can vary depending on the opposition, and the Cats do play a small number of home matches at venues other than the GMHBA Stadium each season, which also affects ticket prices, but generally adult ticket prices for Cats home matches start at approximately AUD $27. The average price of an adult ticket for a Cowboys home match is between approximately AUD $55-75 – though it should be noted that not all Cats matches for the 2023 season are yet on general sale.
Standard Tickets
Standard match tickets for Geelong Cats fixtures at the GMHBA Stadium can currently be purchased in 3 main sections:
- Goal South – 2-tiered reserved seating stand behind the posts and by the south 50-metre line; typically among the most affordable tickets at Geelong home games
- Wing East – 2-tiered reserved seating stand along the east wing
- Wing West – 2-tiered reserved seating stand along the west wing
Premium, Hospitality, & VIP Tickets
Premium tickets and hospitality packages can be purchased via enquiry for Geelong Cats home matches. Options include:
- The Lounge by Peroni – reserved premium seat, complimentary welcome drink, canapés, and use of a private bar
- Inner Sanctum Experience – reserved seat, 3-course meal and premium drinks package, immersive player and coach interactions
- President’s Club – reserved premium seat, 3-course meal, snacks, premium drinks package, and guest speakers, including an address by the club president
- Open Air Box – reserved open-air box seats, premium lunch or dinner package, premium drinks, and a personal waiting service on-hand
How to get Cheap Tickets
Match ticket prices for Geelong Cats home fixtures can vary depending on numerous factors, including the visiting opposition, the type of match, and the location of a chosen seat. Matches against rivals or stronger, more historically successful teams are likely to command higher ticket fees than games against non-rivals or smaller teams. Moreover, ticket prices for finals matches are likely to be higher than regular season prices, which are typically cheaper. Finally, the seating position can determine price; selecting a seat behind the posts may be a more affordable option than choosing to sit along the wings, closer to the middle of the oval. Koobit compares the prices offered by both official sellers and secondary resellers, to help you find the perfect ticket at the most affordable price possible.
Where to Buy Tickets
The easiest way of buying Geelong Cats tickets is to purchase them online. Buying tickets online allows fans to access ticket sales as soon as they open, as well as providing the opportunity to compare the price of seats in different parts of the venue, and compare prices from different ticket suppliers. Tickets purchased online can be downloaded and then presented digitally at the stadium.
How to Get to a Game
The Geelong Cats play home matches at the GMHBA Stadium, in Geelong. The stadium can be accessed via car and public transport, including bus and train, as well as on foot. Visit the GMHBA Stadium travel and parking page for more information, or see the travel and parking sections on specific event pages, for more travel information.
To stay up to date with the latest schedule and ticketing information for this season and beyond, visit the Geelong Cats page.