.Geelong's focus on a tough finals campaign, certainly not beating Port Adelaide at all costs, repaid handsomely after the Cats pranced right into a preliminary ultimate without principals Tom Stewart and Sam De Koning.Geelong's premiership tilt was actually strengthened dramatically on Thursday night after Chris Scott selected a traditional technique with the star duo and his edge still rolled to an 84-point get the unsatisfactory Power.Stewart (hamstring/illness) and also De Koning (leg) will certainly now have precious extra time to get ready for the ninth initial last of Scott's enhanced 14-season tenure.Watch the most effective protection of the 2024 AFL finals, along with expert analysis as well as every game until the Grand Final deal with no ad-breaks during the course of play, on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free of charge test today > Finals Week 1IMAGINE WHAT YOU MIGHT BE ACQUIRING RATHER. For Free as well as discreet support phone call 1800u00a0858u00a0858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.Jezza opens up finals series with astonishment!|00:35 CATS GAMER SCORES:' Off the charts' younger weapon packs skipping star gap as deal pick-ups brilliant' AMONG THE BEST': Superstar Pet Cat STUNS Portress along with fan act ... however it will not gain objective of the yearSpeaking post-game at the Adelaide Oval, Scott appropriately supported in play the long game along with 2 of his essential defenders. "If our experts took a danger with those fellas and also it backfired it wouldn't have been actually difficult, but the level of difficulty would certainly possess gone through the roof," Scott explained." The program was to become traditional with those people as well as with any luck still gain the activity, so our team are actually feeling great concerning that choice currently, but our team're certainly not getting ahead of ourselves.Geelong have enrolled their two greatest triumphes of the 2024 season in back-t0-back activities, fresh off their 93-point draw West Shoreline that finished their home-and-away time on a high.But as Scott has viewed in person earlier this period versus the similarity Carlton and 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. "We've persevered the year along with the swings by means of the period ... you are actually a little of an off evening from being badly trumped," Scott continued." Our experts keep finding that to ensure are going to maintain our feets on the ground." They are actually ideal examples of when you play well you go, 'Oh, excellent decision' and if we will possess participated in inadequately it would certainly possess concerned, 'What would certainly possess occurred if our team will had Stewart and De Koning?'" But our emphasis is on possessing a really good month, certainly not acquiring desperate as well as making an effort to bluff our means in to a prelim ... you can't perform that in finals." Scott admitted he was still fighting with the choice to play Stewart or not after he picked up a hamstring grievance in his last getaway prior to sickness tipped the ranges." He possessed a good couple of full weeks of training and our experts were actually confident that he will correct," the trainer stated." He was in complete instruction for a session on Monday, our company thought he was going to correct, yet ... we were still analyzing that up." After that he started to find cognizant a little bit of a flu, then by the time 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 our team a bit less complicated." However, palm on soul, our company were actually bending towards certainly not playing him and our team will made the traditional telephone call with De Koning too." Stewart was already dashing versus the time clock to use Thursday night prior to catching a disease (Photo through Michael Willson/AFL Photos through Getty Images) Source: Getty ImagesThe relocate to not participate in Stewart likewise would possess tossed components of Port Adelaide's plan out the window also, having actually properly sent out tension ahead Jed McEntee to Stewart in their last 3 conferences along with difficult success.Beyond the defensive duo however, Tom Hawkins (feet) as well as Cam Guthrie (Achilles) will play in the VFL on Saturday morning as they attempt to drive their insurance claims after long layoffs." Our plan during was for them to play this week so our experts'll push on keeping that," Scott added." Our team'll keep hopeful, keep broad-minded, maintain all the alternatives on the table, and make great choices in the moment." I'll avoid the lure to forecast way too much I could sit right here and suppose, as well as it wouldn't help any individual." Even with the absence of Hawkins up forward versus the Energy, the Pet cats' forward line shone as vivid as any sort of this period - and also having actually booted 18 behinds for the evening, might have extremely been ever better.Superstars Jeremy Cameron and also Tyson Stengle completed the evening with four objectives each, while Gryan Miers and also Shaun Mannagh each booted three majors. Tom Stewart ruled out of Kitties v Port|02:08 Hawkins' substitute Shannon Neale kicked 2.2 coming from his 9 disposals as well as 9 proofs, bring in the approaching variety contact who to select in two weeks opportunity (hanging Hawkins' exercise) more appealing by the week.Asked if he want to observe a preparatory final played in Geelong, certainly not the MCG where it will absolutely be set up, Scott responded along with a troublesome gleam in his eye." I believe my posture has constantly been actually that you ought to play your home games no matter where you desire," he confessed." However the AFL run the finals collection as well as they've reached work out whether that is actually the best point or not, and they are actually harmonizing a great deal of points that I do not think about that much." They've acquired the great of the video game front end of mind and all I care about is actually the Pussy-cats so it's reasonable that our team would disagree when our company possess those various viewpoints." Yet a prelim last (in Geelong)? Why certainly not? It is actually a pretty good coliseum." What I will definitely point out is actually prelim finals will be played at some point at the Gold Shoreline, or at Giants Coliseum, or Hobart.".