Gun midfielder Bailey Smith will miss Geelong’s blockbuster clash with Fremantle due to illness.
The Cats have made one change to the team that defeated Gold Coast last week, with Jack Bowes returning after being a late withdrawal ahead of the clash with the Suns due to hamstring tightness.
Smith has played every game in 2026, while only missing three matches last year – his first at Geelong.
Tom Stewart, who missed last week while in concussion protocol, is again sidelined, while Gryan Miers, who is playing through a partial ACL tear, hasn’t returned after being managed last week.
Veteran ruck Rhys Stanley, forgotten defender Jed Bews, and first-round draft pick Jhye Clark are the emergencies.
Shaun Mannagh and Lawson Humphries will both make their 50th AFL appearances for the Cats.
Fremantle has welcomed back Caleb Serong, Matthew Johnson and Brennan Cox for omitted trio Jaeger O’Meara, Corey Wagner, and Oscar McDonald.
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GEELONG
INS: J. Bowes
OUTS: B. Smith (illness)
B: Connor O’Sullivan (14), Jack Henry (38), Oisin Mullin (34)
HB: Jake Kolodjashnij (8), Zach Guthrie (39), Mark O’Connor (42)
C: Jack Bowes (12), Tanner Bruhn (4), Mark Blicavs (46)
HF: Oliver Dempsey (28), Jeremy Cameron (5), Oliver Wiltshire (21)
F: Shaun Mannagh (7), Shannon Neale (33), Jack Martin (19)
FOL: Mitchell Edwards (11), Max Holmes (9), Tom Atkins (30)
INT: Lawson Humphries (17), Sam De Koning (16), George Stevens (15), Patrick Dangerfield (35), Oliver Henry (36)
EMG: Jhye Clark (13), Jed Bews (24), Rhys Stanley (1)
