Geelong star Tom Stewart has been energised by his move into the midfield but admits it will take time to fully adjust to the new role.
A five-time All-Australian defender, Stewart has been thrust into a more prominent role in the Cats’ engine room in recent weeks as they seek to lock up a finals berth.
The 31-year-old is again likely to spend significant periods on the ball when sixth-placed Geelong host Adelaide at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday.
“It’s given me a real pep in my step because it’s not something I anticipated doing to this capacity,” Stewart told reporters on Monday.
“I’d had exposure to it in a small chunk last year but it’s been really, really fun. It’s going to take time and there’s going to be different moments where I get pulled back behind the ball like I did on the weekend.
“But if I can go up there and have an impact and take the pressure off some of those other boys in there, then it’s something I’m willing to do.”
Stewart has enjoyed working closely with assistant coach Steven King and the midfield group, including Patrick Dangerfield, Tom Atkins and Jack Bowes.
“It hasn’t changed my preparation too much but it’s just the players and the coaches that I work with day to day,” Stewart said.
“I’ve played a lot of footy behind the ball, not only at AFL level but VFL and local level, so it’s just been about learning the dialogue and the things that we’re going to go after around the ball.”
Geelong bounced back from a thrashing by the Western Bulldogs with a strong win over North Melbourne last week, setting it up well for the Adelaide clash.
Stewart is bullish about the Cats’ chances in September, eyeing a repeat of the 2022 premiership success.
“It’s as even as I’ve ever seen it across the board, which I think is a good thing because your destiny is in your own hands,” he said.
Stewart dismissed concerns over the GMHBA Stadium surface, which came under fire when it was described as “a paddock” and “dangerous” by Bulldogs star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan in round 19.
“There was a lot of talk around it but it was a bit of an anomaly,” Stewart said.
“It was a fairly brutal day and having a curtain-raiser happen prior wasn’t ideal, but you can’t really control the weather, so we’ve just got to take it in our stride.”
