.Geelong's focus on a strong finals campaign, not beating Slot Adelaide in any way costs, paid handsomely after the Cats skipped in to a preliminary final without key players Tom Stewart and Sam De Koning.Geelong's premiership tilt was actually built up substantially on Thursday evening after Chris Scott went for a conventional technique along with the star duo and his edge still roared to an 84-point win over the disappointing Power.Stewart (hamstring/illness) and De Koning (leg) will definitely right now possess valuable extra opportunity to plan for the ninth preparatory last of Scott's enhanced 14-season tenure.Watch the very best protection of the 2024 AFL finals, with specialist study and every game till the Grand Final cope with no ad-breaks during play, on Kayo. New to Kayo? Begin your free of charge trial today > Finals Week 1IMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD BE ACQUIRING RATHER. Absolutely free and private assistance phone call 1800u00a0858u00a0858 or even see gamblinghelponline.org.au.Jezza opens finals series with STUNNER!|00:35 CATS GAMER RATINGS:' Off the graphes' young weapon fills missing superstar void as good deal pick-ups great' AMONG THE BEST': Superstar Pet Cat STUNS Portress along with fanatic act ... but it won't gain target of the yearSpeaking post-game at the Adelaide Oval, Scott appropriately supported in play the long activity along with two of his key defenders. "If our team took a danger with those people and also it backfired it would not have actually been actually difficult, yet the level of trouble would've risen," Scott discussed." The plan was to be traditional along with those guys and hopefully still win the video game, so we are actually believing excellent about that selection now, however our company're certainly not prospering of ourselves.Geelong have actually enrolled their pair of greatest wins of the 2024 time in back-t0-back games, new off their 93-point win over West Coastline that finished their home-and-away period on a high.But as Scott has seen original earlier this season against the likes of Carlton and also Gold Coast, it does not take much to become on the incorrect end of a walloping like what they handed Port Adelaide on Thursday evening. "Our company've persevered the year along with the swings through the period ... you are actually a bit of an off evening coming from being actually extremely trumped," Scott carried on." We maintain seeing that so that will maintain our feets on the ground." They are actually perfect instances of when you participate in properly you go, 'Oh, wonderful selection' and if our experts will have played badly it would certainly possess been about, 'What would certainly've happened if we 'd had Stewart and De Koning?'" But our concentration is on possessing a great month, not obtaining desperate as well as trying to bluff our technique in to a prelim ... you can't do that in finals." Scott accepted he was still dealing with the selection to participate in Stewart or otherwise after he got a hamstring grievance in his last outing before disease tipped the ranges." He possessed a great number of weeks of training as well as we were actually truly hopeful that he would correct," the coach mentioned." He was in total training for a treatment on Monday, we presumed he was actually visiting correct, yet ... we were still considering that up." After that he started ahead cognizant a little an influenza, after that due to the opportunity he got up he was criminal enough that he would not participate in, so it simply kind of made the decision for him and also us a little less complicated." But, palm on heart, our company were actually pitching in the direction of certainly not playing him and our experts would certainly produced the conservative call along with De Koning at the same time." Stewart was actually actually competing against the clock to play on Thursday night just before being stricken with an illness (Image through Michael Willson/AFL Photos using Getty Images) Source: Getty ImagesThe move to certainly not participate in Stewart likewise would certainly possess tossed components of Slot Adelaide's plan out the home window also, having actually efficiently sent out pressure forward Jed McEntee to Stewart in their final 3 meetings with mind-boggling success.Beyond the defensive duo having said that, Tom Hawkins (foot) and also Web cam Guthrie (Achilles) will play in the VFL on Sunday morning as they seek to press their insurance claims after lengthy layoffs." Our program the whole time was for them to play today so our experts'll advance keeping that," Scott added." Our team'll stay optimistic, remain open-minded, keep all the alternatives on the table, and make good choices in the instant." I'll resist the seduction to anticipate excessive I might rest below and speculate, and also it wouldn't aid anybody." Regardless of the absence of Hawkins up ahead against the Electrical power, the Felines' forward line shone as brilliant as any this season - and also having actually kicked 18 behinds for the evening, can have remarkably been ever better.Superstars Jeremy Cameron and also Tyson Stengle ended up the night along with four targets each, while Gryan Miers and also Shaun Mannagh each kicked 3 majors. Tom Stewart dismissed of Cats v Slot|02:08 Hawkins' replacement Shannon Neale booted 2.2 from his nine disposals and also nine proofs, creating the approaching variety call on that to select in pair of weeks opportunity (pending Hawkins' health and fitness) a lot more appealing by the week.Asked if he wish to see a preliminary ultimate played in Geelong, not the MCG where it will certainly be scheduled, Scott replied along with a wicked gleam in his eye." I believe my setting has actually always been that you need to play your home activities anywhere you desire," he confessed." However the AFL run the finals set and also they've got to work out whether that is actually the best trait or not, and they are actually harmonizing a great deal of points that I don't consider that a lot." They've got the really good of the video game front end of mind plus all I respect is actually the Cats so it's rational that our company will differ when our experts have those various point of views." However a prelim ultimate (in Geelong)? Why not? It's a pretty good coliseum." What I will definitely point out is prelim finals will definitely be played at some point at the Gold Coastline, or even at Giants Coliseum, or even Hobart.".