By Luke Voogt
Geelong midfielder Brandan Parfitt has extended his contract for another two years after a standout season, in which he recorded the second-most tackles (106) in the AFL.
The 22-year-old showed superb courage and commitment to ground-level contests in a number of games in 2020, like in Geelong’s 61-point thumping of Hawthorn in round two.
His physicality and ability to win the inside ball was evident that game as he finished with 19 disposals, 10 tackles, eight clearances and four score involvements.
He bravely played on with a broken thumb in Geelong’s grand final loss to Richmond last month.
Raised in Darwin, Parfitt played senior football in South Australia before the Cats selected him at pick 26 in the 2016 AFL national draft.
Parfitt has since played 72 games since debuting in 2017, and has kicked 33 goals.
He took his game up another notch in 2020 with ferocious tackling and determination to win the ball, averaging 16 disposals per game in the shortened season.
“Brandan is an integral part of our future, so we’re pleased to have secured him until the end of 2022,” Geelong’s football general manager Simon Lloyd said.
“Since arriving at the club, he has developed into one of the club’s most versatile players and we are excited to see where he can take his game in the next two seasons.
“Brandan displays the values we aspire to live by and is part of a nucleus of young players that represent an exciting future for the Geelong Football Club.”
