Geelong will be looking to avoid successive non-finals finishes for the first time in two decades when they look to bounce back from a 2023 campaign that saw them finish 12th.
In their attempt to defend the premiership, the Cats could only conjure 10 wins from their 23 games under Chris Scott, with injuries and areas of weakness opening up throughout the year.
The Cats weren't as active as they often have been through the trade and free agency periods, instead attacking the draft to bring in a total of seven fresh faces.
A quartet of those inclusions came in the form of mature-aged assets, with recruiter Stephen Wells hoping to have uncovered another diamond or two from the rough.
Among those is VFL star Shaun Mannagh, who will be firmly in the selection conversation to start the 2024 season.
Here we've previewed what Geelong's best 23 for 2024 might look like...
BEST 23s: ADELAIDE, BRISBANE, CARLTON, COLLINGWOOD, ESSENDON, FREMANTLE
2. Midfielders
The Cats' weakness throughout the 2023 season, with an at-times undermanned or aging engine room a key reason in why Geelong failed to book themselves a finals finish.
Captain Patrick Dangerfield remains their No.1 midfielder heading into 2024, while All-Australian Mark Blicavs is likely to spend the majority of next year through the centre as well.
Tom Atkins came runner-up to Tom Stewart in Geelong's best and fairest count this year to further prove the value Cats coaches have in the hard-nut onballer.
Injuries limited Cam Guthrie to just six appearances in 2023, with the veteran midfielder and fellow premiership Cat Mitch Duncan set to provide some steady heads through the middle.
Former GWS first-round selection Tanner Bruhn will be looking to be a more common feature at centre bounces as he enters his fourth year in the system and second with Geelong, while fellow 2022 recruit Jack Bowes will be looking to do the same.
Max Holmes will be a big watch over the course of next season, with Geelong likely looking to use their speedy young gun in the middle instead of out wide.
The Cats added some mature-aged recruits at the National Draft in Shaun Mannagh and Lawson Humphries, with the former a strong chance to be in the Round 1 mix after a prolific campaign with Werribee in the VFL.
Rookie George Stevens is already built for senior football and could also get a look early into next season.
Rhys Stanley will resume the No.1 ruck role, but the Cats will want to see some competition at selection from Toby Conway after the developing tall got his first look at AFL-level football this year.
The Cats will also be hoping Jhye Clark can return to full fitness and add to his debut from this year, while Mitch Knevitt and Brandan Parfitt will also be knocking on the door for spots in Scott's side.
