Geelong defender Mitch Brown fights for his footy future Mitch Brown puts in the hard yards during the Cats pre-season camp in Coffs Harbour. MITCH Brown is powering through pre-season training in the best shape of his career as he embarks on a 2014 campaign in which he will fight for his footy life. Brown has been the great enigma on Geelong's list over recent seasons, teasing fans with splashes of potential amid a host of injury, confidence and form issues that dogged him from the moment he arrived as a first-round draft pick. But as the 23-year-old enters his sixth season at the Cats, footy's vicious cycle of player turnover would suggest time is fast running out for the versatile key-position player to take the next step. It is a reality not lost on Brown, who faces a season seemingly competing with Jared Rivers for that third tall option in Geelong's backline. Geelong assistant coach Shane O'Bree says Brown was doing everything right so far this pre-season. "Browny's had a terrific pre-season," O'Bree said in Coffs Harbour as the Cats wrapped up their nine-day training camp. He's training really well. He's probably the fittest he's ever been, so hopefully he gets an opportunity next year. His versatility is his strength, so he's been training forward and back and he's got to be able to do that on game day for us as well. Brown played five AFL matches this year, caught in the middle ground between being an outstanding VFL defender and on the fringe at AFL level. Competition for a game will again intensify next season, with Brown among a large group of young players hitting the Christmas break in full health. The Cats had 36 players in the main training group at Thursday's two-and-a-half-hour session - a large number for this time of the year. "They've all put their hands up," O'Bree said. The younger guys, like Billie Smedts, Mitch Duncan, (George) Horlin-Smith, all those types of guys, they have had a really good pre-season since they've come back. Hamish McIntosh bowls over Josh Caddy (left) and Steve Johnson during a game of beach volleyball in Coffs Harbour. With the older guys starting later, those guys were thrown the reins (at training) and they've done a great job. They know there are opportunities there for them. They've got to get themselves really fit and when pre-season comes around, they'll want to play as well as they can, hold their spot and the rest will take care of itself. Corey Enright (knee), Hamish McIntosh (ankle) and Dawson Simpson (knee) have negotiated the camp without a hitch, after injury ended their seasons this year. Steven Motlop had a lighter workload, but was only removed from the main training group for management reasons due to representing Australia in the recent International Rules Series. The Cats now have a fortnight off and return to training early in the new year.