.Geelong's focus on a solid finals project, not trumping Slot Adelaide in any way prices, paid off handsomely after the Cats pranced into a preliminary ultimate without key players Tom Stewart as well as Sam De Koning.Geelong's premiership tilt was reinforced substantially on Thursday night after Chris Scott went with a conventional method along with the celebrity duo and his side still grumbled to an 84-point draw the disappointing Power.Stewart (hamstring/illness) as well as De Koning (leg) are going to right now have priceless added time to prepare for the ninth preparatory ultimate of Scott's adorned 14-season tenure.Watch the most ideal coverage of the 2024 AFL finals, along with professional study and also every video game up until the Grand Final cope with no ad-breaks during the course of play, on Kayo. New to Kayo? Beginning your free trial today > Finals Week 1IMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD BE ACQUIRING AS AN ALTERNATIVE. Totally free and also classified support telephone call 1800u00a0858u00a0858 or explore gamblinghelponline.org.au.Jezza opens finals series with STUNNER!|00:35 CATS PLAYER RATINGS:' Off the charts' youthful gun fills up missing out on celebrity space as discount pick-ups dazzling' SOME OF THE MOST IDEAL': Superstar Pet Cat STUNS Portress along with fanatic show ... but it will not win target of the yearSpeaking post-game at the Adelaide Oval, Scott rightly supported in play the lengthy game along with 2 of his crucial guardians. "If we took a risk with those fellas as well as it backfired it would not have been inconceivable, however the degree of challenge will've risen," Scott described." The strategy was actually to become traditional along with those people and also ideally still gain the activity, so our experts're experiencing really good about that choice currently, however our experts're not being successful of ourselves.Geelong have actually enrolled their two largest success of the 2024 season in back-t0-back activities, new off their 93-point draw West Coast that finished their home-and-away season on a high.But as Scott has actually observed original previously this time versus the likes of Carlton as well as Gold Coast, it doesn't take a lot to become on the incorrect end of a walloping like what they handed Port Adelaide on Thursday evening. "Our team've seen it through the year along with the swings by means of the time ... you're a little of an off night coming from being actually terribly beaten," Scott proceeded." Our company keep observing that to ensure that are going to keep our feet on the ground." They are actually ideal instances of when you participate in effectively you go, 'Oh, great decision' and also if our team 'd possess participated in improperly it would certainly have had to do with, 'What would certainly possess taken place if our team will possessed Stewart and De Koning?'" Yet our emphasis is on having a good month, certainly not acquiring acute as well as making an effort to bluff our way right into a prelim ... you can't do that in finals." Scott accepted he was still fighting with the selection to play Stewart or otherwise after he picked up a hamstring issue in his last outing just before illness hinted the ranges." He had an excellent number of weeks of instruction and our company were actually really positive that he would certainly correct," the trainer said." He resided in total training for a treatment on Monday, our experts presumed he was actually visiting be right, however ... our team were actually still analyzing that up." At that point he started ahead down with a little a flu, after that due to the opportunity he got out of bed he was actually scoundrel enough that he wouldn't participate in, so it only type of decided for him as well as our team a small amount much easier." But, palm on soul, we were pitching towards not playing him and also our experts will made the traditional phone call with De Koning at the same time." Stewart was actually currently competing against the time clock to use Thursday night just before falling victim to a disease (Photograph by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images) Source: Getty ImagesThe relocate to certainly not participate in Stewart additionally will possess thrown aspects of Port Adelaide's plan out the window too, having actually properly sent out tension forward Jed McEntee to Stewart in their final three appointments along with mind-boggling success.Beyond the protective duo nevertheless, Tom Hawkins (foot) and Web cam Guthrie (Achilles) are going to play in the VFL on Sunday early morning as they seek to press their cases after long discharges." Our strategy all along was actually for them to play this week so our team'll advance keeping that," Scott incorporated." Our company'll remain confident, stay broad-minded, keep all the alternatives on the dining table, and also make good decisions in the second." I'll avoid the temptation to forecast excessive I can sit below and speculate, and it definitely would not help anyone." Even with the lack of Hawkins up ahead against the Power, the Cats' foremost line shone as vivid as any kind of this season - and also having actually kicked 18 behinds for the evening, might possess amazingly been actually ever before better.Superstars Jeremy Cameron and also Tyson Stengle completed the night along with four objectives apiece, while Gryan Miers and also Shaun Mannagh each kicked three majors. Tom Stewart ruled out of Felines v Port|02:08 Hawkins' replacement Shannon Neale booted 2.2 coming from his nine fingertips and nine proofs, making the coming close to assortment get in touch with who to choose in pair of weeks opportunity (hanging Hawkins' exercise) a lot more fascinating by the week.Asked if he wish to view an initial final played in Geelong, not the MCG where it are going to surely be set up, Scott replied along with a wicked gleam in his eye." I believe my placement has actually regularly been that you need to play your home video games anywhere you prefer," he confessed." Yet the AFL operate the finals series and they've come to exercise whether that is actually the ideal thing or not, and they're balancing a lot of traits that I do not think of that a lot." They have actually acquired the great of the activity front end of mind and all I love is actually the Felines so it's rational that our team would certainly disagree when our team have those various perspectives." But a prelim final (in Geelong)? Why not? It is actually a decent arena." What I am going to point out is prelim finals will be played at some point at the Gold Shore, or at Giants Arena, or Hobart.".