Podsiadly promoted

Geelong has upgraded mature-aged rookie James Podsiadly to the senior list in place of promising forward Mitch Brown, who has been placed on the long-term injury list.

Podsiadly, who was selected by the Cats in the rookie draft last year, is now eligible for senior selection until Brown is fit enough to be reinstated.

The 28-year-old has played all three pre-season matches for Geelong this year, booting four goals in the process.

He could make his AFL debut on Friday night against Essendon, the club which first recruited him back in 2000.

"James is in the mix for selection and so it was an easy decision to upgrade him," Geelong’s general manager of football operations Neil Balme said on the club's website.

"It doesn't mean he will play this week, but he played all the way through the practice match schedule and if the match committee want him he is available."

Following the news, online bookmaker Sportsbet.com.au slashed Podsiadly's odds to win the Coleman Medal from $81 to $51.

One punter has already placed $1000 on the forward to win the medal at the massive odds of $501 for a potential collect of $500,000.

"We stand to lose half a million on Podsiadly in one bet, let alone tens of thousands more from punters who backed him at $81 before the announcement of his promotion," said public relations manager Haydn Lane.