.Geelong's focus on a sturdy finals project, not beating Port Adelaide at all costs, paid handsomely after the Cats romped into a preparatory last without key players Tom Stewart and also Sam De Koning.Geelong's premiership tilt was actually boosted considerably on Thursday night after Chris Scott went for a conservative strategy along with the star duo as well as his side still roared to an 84-point draw the unsatisfactory Power.Stewart (hamstring/illness) as well as De Koning (leg) will certainly today possess valuable extra time to organize the ninth preparatory ultimate of Scott's embellished 14-season tenure.Watch the most ideal insurance coverage of the 2024 AFL finals, along with specialist review and also every game up until the Grand Final cope with no ad-breaks during the course of play, on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your complimentary trial today > Finals Week 1IMAGINE WHAT YOU MIGHT BE GETTING INSTEAD. Absolutely free and also private support call 1800u00a0858u00a0858 or see gamblinghelponline.org.au.Jezza opens finals collection with STUNNER!|00:35 CATS GAMER RANKINGS:' Off the charts' youthful weapon fills overlooking star space as bargain pick-ups fantastic' ONE OF THE GREATEST': Super Star Pet Cat STUNS Portress along with addict act ... but it won't win objective of the yearSpeaking post-game at the Adelaide Oval, Scott rightly supported in play the long activity with two of his vital defenders. "If our company took a threat along with those guys and also it backfired it definitely would not have actually been actually difficult, yet the degree of problem would certainly possess gone through the roof," Scott revealed." The planning was to be conventional with those men and also with any luck still gain the activity, so our experts're believing great regarding that decision right now, but our company're not thriving of ourselves.Geelong have enrolled their pair of largest victories of the 2024 season in back-t0-back games, clean off their 93-point get West Coast that finished their home-and-away season on a high.But as Scott has actually observed in person earlier this period against the similarity Carlton and also Gold Coast, it does not take a lot to become on the wrong end of a walloping like what they handed Slot Adelaide on Thursday evening. "We have actually seen it through the year along with the swings via the season ... you are actually a little of an off night from being actually severely defeated," Scott carried on." Our company keep finding that to make sure that will certainly maintain our feet on the ground." They are actually ideal examples of when you play well you go, 'Oh, great choice' as well as if our company 'd have played poorly it would possess had to do with, 'What would've occurred if our team will had Stewart and also De Koning?'" However our focus is on having an excellent month, not acquiring vicious as well as making an effort to bluff our technique into a prelim ... you can't carry out that in finals." Scott confessed he was still having problem with the decision to participate in Stewart or not after he grabbed a hamstring grievance in his last day trip prior to sickness tipped the scales." He possessed an excellent couple of weeks of instruction and our experts were actually definitely hopeful that he would certainly correct," the coach claimed." He remained in total instruction for a treatment on Monday, we believed he was actually heading to correct, yet ... our experts were actually still examining that up." At that point he began to follow down with a bit of a flu, at that point by the opportunity he got up he was burglar good enough that he definitely would not participate in, so it only form of made the decision for him as well as our company a small amount much easier." Yet, palm on center, our experts were actually bending in the direction of certainly not playing him and our experts will made the traditional phone call along with De Koning at the same time." Stewart was actually already dashing versus the time clock to play on Thursday evening before coming down with a health problem (Image through Michael Willson/AFL Photos through Getty Images) Source: Getty ImagesThe relocate to certainly not participate in Stewart additionally will possess tossed aspects of Port Adelaide's plan out the window as well, having effectively delivered stress onward Jed McEntee to Stewart in their final 3 conferences with overwhelming success.Beyond the protective duo having said that, Tom Hawkins (feet) and Web cam Guthrie (Achilles) will play in the VFL on Saturday morning as they try to press their claims after lengthy cutbacks." Our program all along was actually for all of them to play today so we'll push on keeping that," Scott included." We'll keep confident, stay open-minded, maintain all the choices on the dining table, as well as make great choices in the minute." I'll avoid the seduction to anticipate too much I can sit listed below and hypothesize, as well as it wouldn't aid anybody." Even with the absence of Hawkins up onward versus the Electrical power, the Cats' foremost line shone as brilliant as any sort of this period - and also having booted 18 behinds for the evening, might have extremely been actually ever better.Superstars Jeremy Cameron and also Tyson Stengle finished the evening with 4 goals each, while Gryan Miers as well as Shaun Mannagh each kicked three majors. Tom Stewart dismissed of Felines v Port|02:08 Hawkins' substitute Shannon Neale kicked 2.2 coming from his nine disposals as well as nine marks, bring in the moving toward variety call that to decide on in pair of weeks time (pending Hawkins' physical fitness) extra fascinating due to the week.Asked if he would love to see an initial last played in Geelong, not the MCG where it will definitely be planned, Scott answered with a naughty shimmer in his eye." I presume my setting has consistently been actually that you should play your home activities everywhere you want," he admitted." But the AFL run the finals series as well as they've reached work out whether that's the best thing or otherwise, and they are actually balancing a lot of things that I don't think of that much." They have actually acquired the excellent of the activity face of thoughts plus all I love is the Pet cats so it's reasonable that our experts would certainly differ when we have those various point of views." Yet a prelim last (in Geelong)? Why not? It's a good coliseum." What I am going to state is actually prelim finals will certainly be played at some aspect at the Gold Shoreline, or even at Giants Stadium, or even Hobart.".