Geelong is set to keep promising tall Shannon Neale at the Cattery until the cessation of the 2025 season, with reports that the fledgling ruck is poised to pen a two-year extension.
Despite an ankle injury keeping the 20-year-old on the sidelines to start the season, the reigning premiers rate the Western Australian's burgeoning skillset, playing Neale twice in 2022 ahead of September.
As first reported byย News Corp,ย the Cats' front office has begun ramping up their retention plans, with Neale just one youngster in the club's sites.
The Herald Sunย has also claimed that the Cats are creeping closer to keeping local product Gryan Miers on their books following the premiership forward's white-hot start to the season.
Despite no goals of his own so far this season, the formerly dreadlocked 24-year-old has proven a near-perfect provider, racking up 13 goal assists across the opening six rounds.
Miers has also found the football at a greater rate in 2023, upping his disposal average to 18.6 over his career mean of 15.07.
The Grovedale product's 28 inside 50s have also aided spectacularly as Geelong has begun to steady after a spluttering start to the season.
At 3-3 after the opening six weeks, the Cats refound their claws at the weekend, strangling the Swans at Kardinia Park to the tune of 93-points.
The Hoops will next do battle against the Dons on Sunday, a fixture that provides the premiers with another chance to peg back a top-eight opponent.