Gold Coast Suns star Matt Rowell reportedly met with Geelong over the off-season ahead of a call on his playing future.
Rowell is unsigned beyond the coming season and is expected to gain the interest of clubs from across the competition, with those from the midfielder's home state of Victoria tipped to be especially keen.
The 23-year-old is said to have held discussions with Cats coach Chris Scott and football boss Andrew Mackie in late October alongside his manager as he potentially considers his future, per 7 News' Mitch Cleary.
It is believed that the Cats see Rowell as 'the next Joel Selwood' at Kardinia Park as Geelong looks to build a lethal midfielder unit following the acquisition of Bailey Smith last year.
"The Cats are eyeing Gold Coast's Matt Rowell, holding a secret meeting with the Suns midfielder late last year," Cleary reported on Monday night.
"We can reveal tonight that Cats coach Chris Scott and footy boss Andrew Mackie stay down with the 23-year-old and his manager at a private apartment in Melbourne's Bayside.
"The Cats pitch: Come and become the next Joel Selwood in our star-studded midfield. Scott is a huge fan and once compared Rowell to Selwood and Chris Judd.
"Rowell falls out of contract this year, and while he is happy on the Gold Coast there's been no movement on an extension. He specifically requested the late-October meeting so that it wasn't a distraction from his Suns pre-season."
Rowell, who ranked top five in the competition for contested possessions, tackles and clearances in 2024, has played 85 games for the Suns.
He was drafted to the club in 2019 as the first overall pick, exploding onto the scene in his debut year - recording nine three votes in three successive matches - before suffering a season-ending setback.
Rowell is joined by Sam Collins, Connor Budarick and Brayden Fiorini among Suns players unsigned beyond the 2025 season.
