Geelong announces an unchanged leadership group, with Patrick Dangerfield and Tom Stewart to lead the Cats in 2024 as captain and vice-captain respectively.
Patrick Dangerfield becomes the Cats' first new captain in 12 seasons, succeeding Joel Selwood, with Tom Stewart named vice-captain.
"When Pat arrived, he influenced our club for the better, on the field but most significantly off it. He has and will always strive to positively influence our people and our culture, which is ever evolving. He's found a way to embody who we want to be as a football department," Cats coach Chris Scott said.
"As hard as Tom is on field, is as hard as he works off it. To make himself, his team, and his Club better. He's incredibly well respected by everyone who knows him, plays with him, and plays on him. And that respect is well-earned."
Tom Stewart is suspended for four matches by the AFL Tribunal after 45 minutes of evidence and 30 minutes of deliberation over his bump on Richmond's Dion Prestia that left the Tiger concussed.
"The bump was late. He (Prestia) was wide open, exposed and vulnerable. Stewart had sufficient time to see Prestia had not taken possession (of the ball)," Tribunal chair Jeff Gleeson said.
"He ran past the ball and made a conscious, albeit split-second, decision to bump Prestia at speed. The degree of carelessness was high. He breached his duty of care by some margin."
Tom Stewart remains nervous about his troublesome foot despite recovering from a Lisfranc injury in time for a full pre-season.
"I think any time you start talking about feet, people get really nervous, because it's such an important part of your body," he said.
The 28-year-old credited a ballet physiotherapist for his healing from the setback.
"I got hooked up with a lady by the name of Sue Mayes, who is a ballet physio [and] who has worked at North Melbourne for a lot of years with this particular injury. I've really liaised well with her and she's given me massive confidence throughout the rehab process … she's been unbelievable for me," he said.
Tom Stewart wins the Carji Greeves Medal as Geelong's club champion for 2021 despite a season-ending foot injury which cost him the final five games of the season.
Geelong coach Chris Scott has rejected Dr. Peter Larkins' criticism on social media of the club's hope to play Tom Stewart again in the 2021 Grand Final should the Cats make it that far.
Stewart had just returned to straight-line running and kicking drills, less than three weeks after surgery to repair Lisfranc ligament damage in his foot.
"Tom is on a program that was laid out by the very best medical experts and anyone who questions that, especially when they're a level below that expertise, doesn't really know what they're talking about," Scott said.
Tom Stewart will avoid a mad rush back to Victoria should his first child arrive deep into this year's finals series.
Stewart has been joined in the Cats' Gold Coast hub with his pregnant wife, Emma, who is due to give birth in early November. He is preparing to remain in Queensland should things happen sooner than expected.
"She came up about a month ago, it's been an amazing time for us spending some time together expecting our first child," Stewart told ABC Grandstand after the Cats' 66-point demolition of Essendon on Sunday.
"She's due in early November, she's been amazing, she's an amazing support person and I can't thank her enough for allowing me to be up here doing what I love. We're going to keep each other strong, keep each other positive. If all goes well, we'll be playing finals footy and that's what we're here for.
"I think we'll be staying up here. There's a lot going on with the world and I think we're leaning towards staying up here."
Patrick Dangerfield storms home to win his third Carji Greeves Medal as Geelong's best and fairest for the 2019 season.
Dangerfield polled 268 votes to finish ahead of departing gun Tim Kelly (259.5), who finished runner-up for a second consecutive season and Tom Stewart (251).
"It's very humbling, it's still bittersweet because of the disappointment from that prelim (final)," Dangerfield said while reflecting on the season that was, and could have been.
"Perhaps if it was (my) first you'd appreciate it in a different way, but the longer you play the more you realise that while you're very proud to win it and it's special but it's not what we're all here to do."
Joel Selwood will captain Geelong for an eighth season in 2019.
Selwood will be joined by All Australian defender Tom Stewart in Geelong's seven-man leadership group, which sees Scott Selwood fall out.
Dual best and fairest Mark Blicavs has been elevated to co-vice-captain alongside Patrick Dangerfield, the pair retaining their positions on the panel with Mitch Duncan and Zach Tuohy.
2018 deputy vice-captain Harry Taylor relinquishes his title, however remains in the group.
Geelong captain Joel Selwood praises Tom Stewart's growth from mature-age draftee to All-Australian and leader at the club within a span of three years.
"Mid last year he asked to be a part of meetings and come in and stuff like that," Selwood said.
"He was at a stage where his footy was taking care of itself so we didn't want a burden on him but he was relishing the job, so this was just the next step for him.
"I appreciate blokes that are in a rush sometimes, he's one of them and that's what's made him the player that he is to date and he'll get better from here."
Tom Stewart takes home the 2018 Shadforth Financial Group Best Young Player of the Year Award, with the mature-age defender rewarded for his outstanding first two seasons at AFL level.
Stewart received 40 votes from the AFL coaches during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, beating out Port Adelaide's Sam Powell-Pepper (23 votes) and Hugh McCluggage (20) for the award.
Tom Stewart is taken to hospital with a facial fracture after colliding with the back of Fremantle opponent Hayden Crozier's head in a marking contest in the second quarter.
Stewart was sporting a sizeable bump above his right eye following the incident.