.Geelong's focus on a strong finals initiative, not trumping Port Adelaide in all costs, paid off handsomely after the Cats skipped in to a preliminary last without key players Tom Stewart as well as Sam De Koning.Geelong's premiership tilt was built up considerably on Thursday night after Chris Scott went for a conventional method with the celebrity duo as well as his edge still roared to an 84-point sway the unsatisfying Power.Stewart (hamstring/illness) and also De Koning (knee) will certainly now have priceless added time to plan for the 9th initial ultimate of Scott's enhanced 14-season tenure.Watch the greatest protection of the 2024 AFL finals, with expert study as well as every game until the Grand Final deal with no ad-breaks in the course of play, on Kayo. New to Kayo? Beginning your cost-free test today > Finals Full week 1IMAGINE WHAT YOU CAN BE BUYING RATHER. Completely free and also private support call 1800u00a0858u00a0858 or go to gamblinghelponline.org.au.Jezza opens up finals set along with astonishment!|00:35 PUSSY-CATS GAMER RANKINGS:' Off the charts' younger weapon fills missing out on star void as discount pick-ups fantastic' SOME OF THE VERY BEST': Superstar Feline STUNS Portress with fanatic act ... yet it will not succeed target of the yearSpeaking post-game at the Adelaide Oval, Scott appropriately backed in play the long game along with 2 of his crucial defenders. "If our experts took a risk with those guys as well as it backfired it would not have been actually difficult, but the level of trouble will've gone through the roof," Scott explained." The strategy was actually to become traditional with those men and also with any luck still succeed the video game, so our company are actually feeling good regarding that decision now, yet our company are actually not getting ahead of ourselves.Geelong have registered their pair of most significant success of the 2024 period in back-t0-back video games, new off their 93-point draw West Shoreline that completed their home-and-away season on a high.But as Scott has actually observed original earlier this time against the likes of Carlton as well as Gold Shoreline, it does not take much to be on the wrong end of a drubbing like what they handed Slot Adelaide on Thursday night. "We have actually seen it through the year with the swings via the season ... you're a little bit of an off evening from being poorly defeated," Scott carried on." Our experts always keep observing that in order that will keep our feet on the ground." They are actually excellent instances of when you play well you go, 'Oh, wonderful choice' as well as if our team will have participated in poorly it would certainly possess been about, 'What would certainly've occurred if our team would certainly had Stewart and De Koning?'" However our focus gets on possessing an excellent month, not obtaining vicious as well as making an effort to bluff our technique into a prelim ... you can not perform that in finals." Scott accepted he was still having a problem with the choice to play Stewart or not after he picked up a hamstring issue in his final trip just before sickness tipped the ranges." He had a great number of weeks of instruction and our experts were actually truly hopeful that he would certainly correct," the train stated." He remained in total instruction for a session on Monday, our experts believed he was actually visiting be right, yet ... our experts were still analyzing that up." After that he started to come cognizant a little bit of an influenza, then due to the opportunity he awakened he was crook enough that he would not participate in, so it merely form of decided for him and our company a little less complicated." Yet, hand on center, we were actually pitching in the direction of certainly not playing him and also our experts would certainly created the traditional call with De Koning too." Stewart was actually already competing against the clock to use Thursday night prior to contracting an ailment (Image through Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images) Resource: Getty ImagesThe move to not participate in Stewart likewise would possess tossed aspects of Slot Adelaide's plan the home window as well, having actually effectively sent out tension ahead Jed McEntee to Stewart in their last three appointments along with mind-boggling success.Beyond the defensive duo however, Tom Hawkins (foot) as well as Camera Guthrie (Achilles) will definitely play in the VFL on Sunday early morning as they attempt to press their insurance claims after lengthy unemployments." Our plan all along was for all of them to play this week so our team'll advance with that said," Scott added." We'll remain optimistic, remain broad-minded, keep all the options on the dining table, as well as make great selections in the moment." I'll stand up to the lure to forecast excessive I can sit right here and also hypothesize, and it definitely would not assist anyone." Despite the absence of Hawkins up forward versus the Energy, the Felines' foremost line shone as intense as any kind of this time - as well as having booted 18 behinds for the evening, might have remarkably been actually ever better.Superstars Jeremy Cameron and also Tyson Stengle completed the night along with 4 targets apiece, while Gryan Miers and Shaun Mannagh each kicked 3 majors. Tom Stewart eliminated of Kitties v Port|02:08 Hawkins' replacement Shannon Neale kicked 2.2 from his 9 fingertips and nine marks, bring in the coming close to assortment contact who to decide on in 2 weeks opportunity (pending Hawkins' fitness) more intriguing by the week.Asked if he want to find a preliminary ultimate played in Geelong, certainly not the MCG where it are going to surely be actually set up, Scott answered along with an insidious shimmer in his eye." I believe my posture has actually constantly been actually that you should play your home activities any place you prefer," he admitted." Yet the AFL run the finals collection as well as they have actually reached work out whether that's the right trait or otherwise, and they're balancing a lot of things that I don't think about that a lot." They have actually received the good of the game front end of thoughts and all I love is actually the Cats so it is actually logical that our experts would certainly differ when we possess those various perspectives." But a prelim final (in Geelong)? Why not? It's a good arena." What I will definitely mention is prelim finals will be actually played at some factor at the Gold Shore, or even at Giants Coliseum, or even Hobart.".