Geelong midfielder Jack Bowes is loving every second since moving south to don the blue and white hoops.
After being traded from the Gold Coast Suns at the end of the 2022 season, Bowes has quickly become a staple in the Cats side.
His first season with the team saw him play along the wing and half forward line, but just seven rounds in to 2024, his spot has been cemented in the midfield.
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The 26-year-old says he's far from an overnight success.
"Over the pre-season, I had a lot of people come to me and obviously (made) a positional change … (it) has helped coming into the midfield the year," Bowes told Nine's Sunday Footy Show.
"(It) feels a little bit more natural there."
How he got there took a lot of hard work and a moderated program that saw him deviate from other Cats midfielders.
"Just tried to put a bit more size on in the off-season, a bit more strength in my legs … improve on my speed and power," he said.
Bowes and his Cats have started their season 7-0, but surprisingly not a single player has collected 30 disposals or more in a game.
It's a testament to coach Chris Scott's team first mentality, where each player is expected to fill roles depending on the opposition they're facing.
One of those versatile players is Jeremy Cameron.
Known for his immaculate goalkicking that saw him boot goal 600 against Carlton in round seven, Cameron's role sees him working all over the ground.
Bowes says the autonomy Geelong players get helps them perform on the big stage.
"He gets called 'roaming Jerry' at times at the club, because he doesn't like to stick to structures as much," he said.
"He's a tough player to match up on if he's going to the wing, playing high or playing deep."
Bowes also opened up on his skipper Patrick Dangerfield's hamstring injury that could see him sidelined for between four to six weeks.
It's Dangerfield's second hamstring injury this season, after hurting it against Adelaide in round two.
"It's sad for Pat because he had such a good pre-season. Unfortunately these things are happening in football at the moment," Bowes said.
However, the loss of Dangerfield means a plethora of young Cats can take the opportunity with two hands.
"As you can see, a lot of our midfielders have been stepping up. Brandan Parfitt has taken his opportunity, Tanner Bruhn," Bowes said.
The Cats now look ahead to their round eight clash against Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday night.
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