Mitch Edwards and Tanner Bruhn are being touted as Geelong's biggest inclusions in 2026 after essentially spending the past few seasons on the sidelines for various reasons.
Bruhn missed the entire 2025 after a year-long court battle centred on sexual assault charges was formally dropped in November.
Bruhn, along with a close friend, was caught up in rape charges for an alleged incident in Geelong in February 2023. As a result, the AFL stood the former Giant down.
However, the on-baller will act like a new recruit for the Cats, who desperately missed his grunt and clean hands as they reached the final Saturday in September.
Developing ruckman Edwards is also set to put his injury woes behind him, which has plagued him since joining Geelong in the 2023 draft.
"Always hesitant to list a couple," Geelong GM of Football Andrew Mackie said.
"I think guys who have been interrupted the last couple of years I've been excited by. Mitch Edwards is starting to look like, touch wood, that he can get through the body stuff that have been holding him back. He played some VFL last year, showed some really good signs he's been good to see.
"Tanner Bruhn, obviously. We didn't get to see him last year, so it's great to see him out and doing his thing that we've missed. Looking forward to that.
"I could mention 44 guys, but those guys spring to mind for the fact that they've had a disrupted last year or two."
Premiership defender Jake Kolodjashnij is also progressing well from an injury-riddled 2025 season, missing the entire campaign.
Kolodjashnij was hindered by hip and groin problems, but Mackie says he should be back in main training within the next fortnight.
Project ruckman Toby Conway is also "progressing well" from foot and knee surgery at the end of 2025.
Conway is on a modified program, and the club will look to "set (his body) up for the long term".
Geelong will kick off their 2026 season with a clash against Gold Coast in Opening Round at People First Stadium on March 6.
