Understrength Cats humble Magpies

Big win ... Jimmy Bartel looks to launch the Cats into attack. Source: Stephen Harman / News Limited

Youngsters Josh Caddy and Mark Blicavs impressed for Geelong as they beat Collingwood by 51 points in their AFL practice match.

The Cats kicked clear in the second term on Friday at Simonds Stadium and easily took care of the Magpies 20.21 (141) to 13.12 (90).

Caddy, recruited late last year in a trade with Gold Coast, had 20 disposals through the midfield and kicked two goals.

Blicavs is yet to make his senior debut, but the former Olympic athletics hopeful in the steeplechase will probably lead the Cats' rucks in the round-one blockbuster against Hawthorn.

He had 16 hitouts and held his own against Magpies' star Darren Jolly.

The Cats had 14 goalkickers and broke the game open with eight goals to two in the second term.

Cats coach Chris Scott was excited by his list ahead of round one.

"Somewhere between 15 to 30 on our list is pretty close, we've got a big group of players that are capable of playing really good, solid, AFL footy in the early rounds of the season,'' Scott said.

"I'm pretty confident our side (in) round one won't be our side round four, we've got a pretty even spread among those guys on the fringes.''

There were no restrictions on interchanges and the two sides made full use - 173 for Geelong and 163 for Collingwood.

The two sides were missing several senior players ahead of round one.

Steve Johnson and James Kelly, who will miss the Hawthorn game through suspension, did not play for the Cats and Joel Corey was rested.

Ruckmen Trent West and Nathan Vardy were also out of the side and Paul Chapman was a late withdrawal with a thigh injury.

For the 'Pies, Andrew Krakouer and Alex Fasolo will resume over the weekend in the VFL.

Luke Ball, Dale Thomas and Alan Didak will probably miss round one against North Melbourne, while Clinton Young was a late withdrawal for Friday's game.

Coach Nathan Buckley was pleased with his team's preparations despite the heavy loss.

"I'm not disappointed with our pre-season - I believe we're in good shape,'' he said ahead of their round-one game against North Melbourne.
"The performance in isolation today was poor. Our last six quarters of footy, we don't want to hang our hat on that, but the pre-season in entirety we feel we're in decent shape to begin well.''

Buckley singled out rookie-listed player Sam Dwyer for praise, saying he showed great effort as he tries to earn an elevation to their senior list.

"It was indicative of a player who there was no tomorrow for - he was playing for everything,'' Buckley said.

"That was a fair contrast to the majority of the rest of our players.''

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