.Geelong's focus on a tough finals campaign, not trumping Port Adelaide whatsoever prices, paid off handsomely after the Cats skipped in to a preliminary final without principals Tom Stewart and also Sam De Koning.Geelong's premiership tilt was actually strengthened substantially on Thursday evening after Chris Scott chose a conventional technique with the star duo and also his side still grumbled to an 84-point draw the frustrating Power.Stewart (hamstring/illness) as well as De Koning (leg) will definitely presently have valuable added opportunity to plan for the nine preliminary ultimate of Scott's decorated 14-season tenure.Watch the most effective insurance coverage of the 2024 AFL finals, along with pro analysis and also every activity till the Grand Final deal with no ad-breaks during play, on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free of cost test today > Finals Week 1IMAGINE WHAT YOU MIGHT BE GETTING INSTEAD. Completely free and also personal support phone call 1800u00a0858u00a0858 or even visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.Jezza opens finals set along with astonishment!|00:35 PUSSY-CATS PLAYER SCORES:' Off the graphes' young gun packs missing star gap as good deal pick-ups great' AMONG THE BEST': Celebrity Cat STUNS Portress along with addict act ... yet it won't win objective of the yearSpeaking post-game at the Adelaide Oval, Scott appropriately supported in play the long video game with 2 of his essential protectors. "If we took a threat along with those individuals and it backfired it wouldn't have been difficult, but the degree of trouble would possess risen," Scott clarified." The planning was to be traditional with those men as well as ideally still win the video game, so our experts're believing great regarding that decision currently, yet our team are actually certainly not getting ahead of ourselves.Geelong have actually enrolled their two biggest victories of the 2024 period in back-t0-back activities, clean off their 93-point get West Shoreline that finished their home-and-away season on a high.But as Scott has observed original earlier this season against the likes of Carlton and Gold Coastline, it doesn't take much to become on the wrong end of a walloping like what they handed Port Adelaide on Thursday evening. "Our company've persevered the year along with the swings by means of the period ... you're a little of an off night coming from being actually poorly beaten," Scott proceeded." Our team maintain seeing that to make sure that are going to maintain our feets on the ground." They are actually ideal instances of when you participate in properly you go, 'Oh, terrific decision' and also if we will possess participated in improperly it would possess had to do with, 'What would've taken place if our company 'd possessed Stewart as well as De Koning?'" However our focus performs having an excellent month, certainly not acquiring vicious as well as attempting to bluff our means in to a prelim ... you can not carry out that in finals." Scott acknowledged he was actually still having problem with the decision to play Stewart or not after he got a hamstring issue in his final trip just before disease tipped the ranges." He possessed a really good number of weeks of instruction as well as our company were definitely confident that he would correct," the coach stated." He resided in full instruction for a session on Monday, our company believed he was mosting likely to correct, however ... our experts were still analyzing that up." After that he started to come down with a bit of a flu, at that point by the opportunity he awakened he was actually scoundrel sufficient that he definitely would not play, so it simply type of decided for him and our team a small amount much easier." But, hand on heart, we were actually leaning towards certainly not playing him and also our experts 'd produced the conservative phone call along with De Koning as well." Stewart was actually currently racing versus the clock to play on Thursday evening prior to contracting a disease (Image through Michael Willson/AFL Photos using Getty Images) Source: Getty ImagesThe move to certainly not play Stewart likewise will possess tossed components of Port Adelaide's plan out the window as well, having properly sent stress forward Jed McEntee to Stewart in their last three meetings along with frustrating success.Beyond the defensive duo having said that, Tom Hawkins (foot) as well as Cam Guthrie (Achilles) will definitely play in the VFL on Sunday morning as they try to press their cases after long discharges." Our strategy all along was for all of them to play recently so we'll advance with that," Scott included." We'll stay positive, keep open-minded, keep all the possibilities on the dining table, and also make good choices in the minute." I'll resist the temptation to anticipate a lot of I could rest below and also guess, and also it would not help anybody." Regardless of the absence of Hawkins up onward versus the Energy, the Kitties' foremost line shone as bright as any type of this period - and also having actually kicked 18 behinds for the night, can have incredibly been ever better.Superstars Jeremy Cameron as well as Tyson Stengle completed the evening along with four objectives apiece, while Gryan Miers and Shaun Mannagh each kicked three majors. Tom Stewart dismissed of Cats v Slot|02:08 Hawkins' replacement Shannon Neale kicked 2.2 from his nine fingertips and also nine symbols, creating the moving toward option contact that to select in pair of weeks opportunity (pending Hawkins' exercise) much more intriguing by the week.Asked if he wish to view an initial last played in Geelong, certainly not the MCG where it are going to definitely be planned, Scott responded with a wicked gleam in his eye." I assume my posture has actually regularly been that you must play your home video games any place you really want," he confessed." Yet the AFL manage the finals collection and they've reached work out whether that's the ideal point or not, as well as they're harmonizing a whole lot of factors that I do not think of that much." They have actually received the good of the activity front end of thoughts and all I appreciate is the Pet cats so it's logical that our experts would certainly differ when we have those different viewpoints." However a prelim last (in Geelong)? Why not? It is actually a respectable stadium." What I will definitely point out is prelim finals are going to be played at some factor at the Gold Shore, or even at Giants Stadium, or Hobart.".