Patrick Dangerfield has heaped praise on young midfielder Jack Bowes and new recruit Lawson Humphries.
Bowes, 26, moved to the Cats at the end of the 2022 season from the Gold Coast Suns and is enjoying his best run of football in the hoops.
Bowes was particularly prominent in his side’s 20-point win over Collingwood on Friday night, collecting 24 disposals, 17 kicks and a goal.
Dangerfield says his strong form is a credit to his hard work and the fact that he’s playing injury-free at the moment.
“Jack Bowes for me is a bit of a Mitch Duncan reincarnated,” Dangerfield told SEN’s Crunch Time.
“He can play multiple positions, he’s really composed with ball in hand and we’ve seen how an uninterrupted two months with injury has shown what he’s really capable of and he really adds to our side.”
Furthermore, Dangerfield couldn’t hold back his excitement surrounding Lawson Humphries.
Humphries, 21, arrived at Kardinia Park with the 63rd pick in last year’s national draft and has made his presence felt in just three games.
The skilful halfback impressed Geelong’s recruiters when playing in the WAFL for the Swan Districts and is already looking like a classic Geelong draft steal in the early stages of his career.
“I still can’t grasp the fact that he play six or seven senior games in the WAFL last year, like he didn’t spend his whole year in the seniors and nothing against where he’s come from but what the hell are they thinking because as soon as he got into our program it was like ‘man no one can pick what foot he is’,” Dangerfield added.
“He had to bide his time in the VFL through the year but we always knew that when he eventually came into the side good luck dislodging him because he was always going to be better at the next level as you could see that in the VFL program.
“He just thinks a step ahead, understands the game really well and it’s a pretty incredible story and once again it kudos to our recruiters acknowledging and finding the talent.
“Why as a player you fall in love with Lawson even more is because he’s such a good person and when you add those two things together when somebody is such a positive and vibrant personality it’s just infectious and that as an older player reinvigorates when you’re playing when you see that enthusiasm from younger players playing their first game at the MCG.
“He’s been a great story for us.”
Hawthorn champion Luke Hodge concurred with Dangerfield’s comments saying Humphries plays like a man that’s been in the AFL system for some time.
“In three games he looks like he’s played 100 games,” Hodge said.
“His skill, his understanding of the game and he understands where to spread so it must be pretty good for the Cats to see someone like that have an impact straight away.”