Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins is excited at the prospect of "fresh ideas and different methods" being brought to the club in the midst of an off-field shakeup at Kardinia Park.
Hawkins, who is 33 years old and entering his sixteenth pre-season, is looking forward to what season 2022 and beyond could hold.
Despite constant talk of the Cats' ageing list, Hawkins shares a different perspective.
"I have heard we are an ageing list, I don't feel like that, I don't look around our side and think we are a certain age demographic" Hawkins revealed.
"I look at our group and think we have wonderful experience with an injection of youth this year... I think we're in a wonderful position."
Part of that injection of youth is South Australian live-wire Tyson Stengle.
The 23-year-old starred in 2021 for SANFL premiers Woodville-West Torrens, where he booted 44 goals in 19 appearances for the Eagles.
"I'm excited to play with Tyson, he's obviously had a wonderful year last year playing in the SANFL," Hawkins added.
Stengle, who is now at his third AFL club after stints with both Richmond and Adelaide, will look to fill a role in an already star-studded Cats forward-line.
Possessing raw pace and x-factor, Stengle will be able to compliment key forward pairing Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron inside 50.
The three-time All-Australian also touched on his captain and Geelong champion Joel Selwood. When prompted about the captaincy moving forward, the long-time teammate of Selwood was full of praise and backed him to break the all-time VFL/AFL record for games captained.
"Joel's been a wonderful player, he's played a lot of footy, he's broken a lot of records in the last 12 months," he said.
"Without actually asking him knowing for a fact he doesn't do what he does to break records, it's just something his legacy will leave.
"I think he's the right man for the job, as long as he wants to continue to do it moving forward."
Selwood currently sits in fourth place for games as captain with 215, just 11 behind record-holder Stephen Kernahan.
Hawkins, Selwood and the Cats begin their 2022 campaign with the 'Country Game' against Essendon at the MCG.