.Geelong's focus on a solid finals initiative, not beating Slot Adelaide at all costs, paid handsomely after the Cats pranced into a preparatory last without key players Tom Stewart as well as Sam De Koning.Geelong's premiership tilt was actually built up significantly on Thursday evening after Chris Scott chose a conservative strategy with the star duo and also his edge still rumbled to an 84-point draw the unsatisfactory Power.Stewart (hamstring/illness) as well as De Koning (leg) will right now have precious added opportunity to get ready for the 9th preliminary last of Scott's adorned 14-season tenure.Watch the very best insurance coverage of the 2024 AFL finals, along with specialist study as well as every game up until the Grand Final cope with no ad-breaks during the course of play, on Kayo. New to Kayo? Beginning your free test today > Finals Week 1IMAGINE WHAT YOU MAY BE PURCHASING AS AN ALTERNATIVE. Totally free and confidential support call 1800u00a0858u00a0858 or even explore gamblinghelponline.org.au.Jezza opens up finals set along with STUNNER!|00:35 PUSSY-CATS GAMER RATINGS:' Off the charts' young weapon fills up missing superstar gap as deal pick-ups fantastic' ONE OF THE BEST': Superstar Pet Cat STUNS Portress with fanatic act ... yet it will not succeed goal of the yearSpeaking post-game at the Adelaide Oval, Scott rightly supported in play the long video game along with 2 of his vital protectors. "If our company took a danger along with those men and also it backfired it wouldn't have been difficult, however the degree of difficulty will possess skyrocketed," Scott clarified." The planning was actually to become conventional with those fellas and also ideally still succeed the video game, so we're believing great about that decision right now, but we are actually not being successful of ourselves.Geelong have enrolled their 2 greatest success of the 2024 time in back-t0-back activities, fresh off their 93-point sway West Coast that completed their home-and-away period on a high.But as Scott has seen in person earlier this season versus the likes of Carlton and also Gold Coastline, it doesn't take a lot to become on the incorrect end of a walloping like what they handed Port Adelaide on Thursday night. "We've seen it through the year along with the swings by means of the season ... you are actually a little of an off evening from being extremely beaten," Scott continued." Our company always keep seeing that so that are going to maintain our feet on the ground." They are actually best examples of when you play well you go, 'Oh, wonderful decision' and also if our experts will have played improperly it will have had to do with, 'What will've occurred if our company will had Stewart as well as De Koning?'" However our focus is on possessing a really good month, certainly not obtaining desperate and also trying to bluff our means into a prelim ... you can't do that in finals." Scott confessed he was still struggling with the choice to participate in Stewart or otherwise after he picked up a hamstring grievance in his last trip just before illness tipped the ranges." He had a really good number of weeks of training and our team were actually actually hopeful that he will correct," the coach mentioned." He remained in full instruction for a session on Monday, our experts thought he was visiting be right, yet ... our company were still weighing that up." At that point he began ahead cognizant a little bit of an influenza, then by the time he woke up he was burglar enough that he would not play, so it simply sort of decided for him and also our team a little bit much easier." Yet, hand on heart, we were actually leaning in the direction of not playing him as well as our company will produced the conservative telephone call along with De Koning too." Stewart was actually actually competing against the time clock to use Thursday night before falling victim to a disease (Image through Michael Willson/AFL Photos using Getty Images) Source: Getty ImagesThe relocate to not participate in Stewart also would certainly possess thrown elements of Slot Adelaide's plan the window also, having properly delivered pressure forward Jed McEntee to Stewart in their last three meetings with mind-boggling success.Beyond the protective duo having said that, Tom Hawkins (feet) and also Web cam Guthrie (Achilles) are going to play in the VFL on Sunday morning as they try to press their claims after long unemployments." Our plan during was actually for all of them to play recently so we'll push on with that said," Scott included." Our team'll remain optimistic, stay open-minded, always keep all the possibilities on the dining table, and make great choices in the instant." I'll withstand the lure to forecast excessive I can sit right here and speculate, as well as it would not aid any person." Regardless of the absence of Hawkins up forward against the Energy, the Kitties' foremost line shone as intense as any sort of this season - and also having kicked 18 behinds for the evening, can have incredibly been ever better.Superstars Jeremy Cameron as well as Tyson Stengle ended up the night with four objectives each, while Gryan Miers and also Shaun Mannagh each booted 3 majors. Tom Stewart ruled out of Pet cats v Slot|02:08 Hawkins' replacement Shannon Neale kicked 2.2 from his nine disposals as well as nine proofs, creating the moving toward choice call who to select in pair of weeks opportunity (hanging Hawkins' physical fitness) more intriguing by the week.Asked if he want to see an initial last played in Geelong, not the MCG where it are going to absolutely be actually planned, Scott responded along with an insidious shimmer in his eye." I think my position has actually constantly been actually that you must play your home games no matter where you prefer," he admitted." But the AFL manage the finals collection as well as they've got to exercise whether that's the right point or otherwise, and they are actually harmonizing a lot of factors that I do not deal with that a lot." They have actually obtained the really good of the game face of thoughts plus all I appreciate is actually the Kitties so it's sensible that we will differ when we possess those various standpoints." But a prelim final (in Geelong)? Why not? It is actually a pretty good coliseum." What I am going to mention is prelim finals are going to be dipped into some aspect at the Gold Coast, or even at Giants Coliseum, or Hobart.".