.Geelong's focus on a solid finals campaign, certainly not beating Port Adelaide at all costs, paid off handsomely after the Cats pranced into a preliminary last without principals Tom Stewart as well as Sam De Koning.Geelong's premiership tilt was actually reinforced considerably on Thursday evening after Chris Scott selected a conservative strategy along with the superstar duo and also his edge still rumbled to an 84-point win over the disappointing Power.Stewart (hamstring/illness) and also De Koning (leg) will certainly right now have precious added time to organize the 9th preparatory last of Scott's adorned 14-season tenure.Watch the most effective coverage of the 2024 AFL finals, with pro study and also every activity till the Grand Final LIVE with no ad-breaks throughout play, on Kayo. New to Kayo? Beginning your free of charge trial today > Finals Week 1IMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD BE BUYING RATHER. Free of charge as well as classified help ring 1800u00a0858u00a0858 or even check out gamblinghelponline.org.au.Jezza opens finals set along with STUNNER!|00:35 PUSSY-CATS PLAYER SCORES:' Off the graphes' youthful gun fills missing out on star space as good deal pick-ups brilliant' SOME OF THE BEST': Super Star Kitty STUNS Portress with fanatic act ... however it won't win target of the yearSpeaking post-game at the Adelaide Oval, Scott appropriately backed in play the lengthy activity with 2 of his crucial protectors. "If our company took a risk with those people as well as it backfired it would not have actually been inconceivable, yet the degree of trouble will've gone through the roof," Scott detailed." The strategy was to become traditional along with those men as well as with any luck still gain the game, so our team're experiencing really good regarding that decision now, yet our team are actually not being successful of ourselves.Geelong have actually enrolled their 2 largest wins of the 2024 time in back-t0-back activities, fresh off their 93-point get West Coast that finished their home-and-away period on a high.But as Scott has seen original previously this period against the likes of Carlton as well as Gold Shore, it doesn't take a lot to become on the wrong end of a drubbing like what they handed Slot Adelaide on Thursday evening. "Our company have actually persevered the year with the swings with the time ... you are actually a little of an off night from being horribly defeated," Scott continued." Our company always keep observing that to ensure will definitely keep our feet on the ground." They're excellent examples of when you play well you go, 'Oh, excellent choice' and also if we would certainly have participated in improperly it will possess been about, 'What will possess happened if our company will had Stewart and also De Koning?'" Yet our focus performs having a really good month, certainly not receiving acute as well as attempting to bluff our method into a prelim ... you can not perform that in finals." Scott acknowledged he was actually still having a problem with the decision to participate in Stewart or otherwise after he got a hamstring problem in his final getaway just before ailment tipped the ranges." He possessed a great couple of weeks of instruction and also our company were actually really positive that he would certainly correct," the train stated." He remained in total instruction for a session on Monday, our company assumed he was actually heading to correct, however ... our company were still weighing that up." At that point he started to follow cognizant a little a flu, then by the time he got out of bed he was actually crook sufficient that he wouldn't play, so it merely kind of made the decision for him and also our team a small amount less complicated." However, hand on heart, our experts were actually pitching in the direction of not playing him as well as our company would certainly created the traditional call along with De Koning as well." Stewart was already competing against the clock to use Thursday evening before coming down with an illness (Picture through Michael Willson/AFL Photos through Getty Images) Resource: Getty ImagesThe relocate to certainly not participate in Stewart additionally would certainly have thrown factors of Port Adelaide's plan out the window also, having properly sent out tension forward Jed McEntee to Stewart in their final three appointments along with difficult success.Beyond the defensive duo nonetheless, Tom Hawkins (foot) as well as Webcam Guthrie (Achilles) are going to play in the VFL on Saturday morning as they attempt to press their insurance claims after long unemployments." Our strategy the whole time was actually for them to play today so our team'll push on keeping that," Scott added." Our experts'll stay optimistic, keep unbiased, keep all the alternatives on the table, and make good choices in the instant." I'll avoid the appeal to forecast way too much I can sit listed here and also guess, as well as it wouldn't assist any individual." Regardless of the absence of Hawkins up forward against the Energy, the Felines' foremost line shone as vivid as any sort of this time - and having kicked 18 behinds for the night, can have incredibly been actually ever before better.Superstars Jeremy Cameron and also Tyson Stengle completed the night with four objectives each, while Gryan Miers and also Shaun Mannagh each kicked three majors. Tom Stewart eliminated of Kitties v Slot|02:08 Hawkins' replacement Shannon Neale booted 2.2 coming from his 9 disposals and nine symbols, creating the moving toward collection call that to pick in pair of full weeks opportunity (pending Hawkins' fitness) a lot more fascinating due to the week.Asked if he would love to see a preparatory ultimate played in Geelong, not the MCG where it are going to certainly be set up, Scott replied along with a wicked gleam in his eye." I believe my position has actually regularly been that you should play your home games no matter where you really want," he confessed." Yet the AFL manage the finals set as well as they have actually got to work out whether that's the right trait or otherwise, as well as they're harmonizing a great deal of points that I do not consider that much." They've obtained the good of the video game face of mind plus all I respect is the Kitties so it's sensible that our experts would differ when our experts possess those different viewpoints." But a prelim ultimate (in Geelong)? Why certainly not? It is actually a respectable coliseum." What I will definitely claim is actually prelim finals will definitely be actually played at some point at the Gold Coastline, or at Giants Stadium, or even Hobart.".