GEELONG has confirmed uncapped ruck Toby Conway’s importance to the club’s future by signing the local product to a two-year contract extension.
Conway, who joined the Cats with pick 24 in last year’s National Draft, signed a two-year deal when selected.
This extension keeps him at the club until at least the end of 2025.
He is one of five players to re-sign with Geelong.
Speedster Max Holmes and defender Mark O’Connor have also inked new two-year deals taking them through to the end of 2024.
While key forward Shannon Neale and rookie Ollie Dempsey have received one-year contract extensions.
“It’s a fantastic sign that Max, Mark, Ollie, Shannon and Toby see their futures here at the Cats,” football boss Simon Lloyd said.
“Max and Mark both have outstanding character and take ownership over driving our club standards.
“They play influential roles within our senior team and are consistently striving to improve the Geelong Football Club.
“For Ollie, Shannon and Toby, while limited in their AFL experience so far, they have all shown strong signs at VFL level, and we are excited to see them take the next step in their development.”
Drafted in 2020, Holmes has become a key component of Geelong’s up-tempo game style, providing critical speed on the wing.
After 12 games in 2021, the 19-year-old has already made 11 appearances this year despite missing six games with a syndesmosis injury.
O’Connor, 25, now has 79 games to his name, including the 2020 grand final loss to Richmond, after debuting in 2017.
He was a member of the Cats’ leadership group in 2020-21 before it was streamlined for this season.
West Australian Neale, also drafted in 2020, made his lone AFL appearance in Round 11 against Adelaide.
Dempsey, who was the ultimate draft smokey after impressing with Carey Grammar in 2021, has made two AFL appearances, including kicking a goal on debut against North Melbourne.
The re-signing of Conway, Dempsey, Holmes, Neale and O’Connor leaves 15 Cats without a deal for 2023.
They include veterans Joel Selwood, Tom Hawkins, Isaac Smith, Zach Tuohy, Gary Rohan, Shaun Higgins and Luke Dahlhaus.
Midfield duo Brandan Parfitt and Quinton Narkle, the luckless Sam Simpson, defender Zach Guthrie, forward Francis Evans, uncapped half-back Nick Stevens, Category B rookie Paul Tsapatolis and mid-season draftee Zane Williams are also uncontracted at the end of the season.
Twitter: @krockfootball
