Grant McCabe: Inside the Culture Driving the Geelong Cats | #218

Sporting Max

In episode 218, Max chats with Geelong Cats President Grant McCabe! Grant takes us through his journey that bridges football, leadership, and high performance - both on and off the field. Growing up in Geelong before studying Aerospace Engineering, Grant went on to forge a remarkable corporate career with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), shaping his approach to leadership and culture along the way. He shares the lessons from that period, how they’ve influenced his role at Geelong, and the values that continue to drive the club’s sustained success. We dive into the hot topics across footy - how the Cats have supported Bailey Smith, the new generation of players navigating social media, and the culture that allows Geelong players to thrive and truly be themselves. Grant also takes us inside his role in securing Geelong’s inaugural AFLW licence, his time as Chair of the AFL Industry Governance Committee for Player Development, and what he’s carried from that experience into leading one of the AFL’s powerhouse clubs. Plus, we unpack the AFL’s extended audit of Geelong and the fascinating insights it revealed. All this and much more in episode 218 of Sporting Max! www.instagram.com/sportingmax.podcast/