Fears speedy Cat could flee after teammates sign on

It was a big weekend for Geelong fans and it wasn't just because of the gutsy eight-point win on Saturday night over the Saints.

It also wasn't just because they opened their new Joel Selwood Stand in front of a record crowd of nearly 40,000.

The excitement came post victory at GMHBA Stadium, with two young recruits and a premiership defender putting pen to paper, while another up-and-coming forward received a special honour for his breakout game.

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However, there are worries that speedy wingman Max Holmes, who could be worth up to $1 million come season's end, has yet to sign on with the hoops.

Meantime, forward Ollie Dempsey was handed the AFL's round one rising star nomination after his three goals guided the Cats to victory.

The honour came after Geelong re-signed prized top-10 pick Jhye Clark for two years, alongside defender Zach Guthrie and Irish recruit Oisin Mullin for one year.

The next steps for the Cats will be to sign a plethora of other star players, particularly injured premiership midfielder Cam Guthrie and Holmes, who both come out of contract at season's end.

Zach Guthrie says he has no fears that his older brother will sign on.

"I don't see why not, unless he doesn't want to keep playing with me," Guthrie joked on Monday.

However, the Cats are still working towards their biggest signing of the year, hoping that Holmes puts pen to paper.

"It's only his third season of professional football, coming from an athletics background, he's got massive scope for improvement. He's putting himself in the right position," defender Tom Stewart said on Monday.

Meantime, superstar defender Stewart will notch up game 150 against the Crows at Adelaide Oval on Friday night, a milestone the 31-year-old never thought he'd make.

His journey to the top was an unorthodox one, being scouted as a mature age recruit by one of the Cats' greatest defenders of all time, Matthew Scarlett in 2013.

Stewart was playing under Scarlett in the Geelong District Football League for South Barwon, when the three-time premiership Cat urged him to take his career seriously.

Geelong struck gold with the 40th pick in the 2016 draft, and Stewart has become one of the AFL's best defenders.

"It's a milestone that if you would have asked me seven years ago, I probably wouldn't ever thought I would achieve. It's something I'm really proud of," Stewart said.

The Cats will face Adelaide on Friday night.