Chris Scott desires supporters to embrace the “big-game” hype round Geelong’s first assembly with Sydney since final 12 months’s grand closing triumph.
The Cats will unfurl their tenth AFL/VFL premiership flag earlier than Saturday night time’s encounter as they return to GMHBA Stadium for the primary time this season.
But do not anticipate Scott, who tipped a high-pressure contest across the ball, to get carried away with the exterior noise.
“The fact that it happens to be a grand final ‘re-match’ … it adds a little bit of extra spice for (fans),” Scott stated.
“But for us, we move pretty quickly to what (Sydney) are at the moment and that gets daunting pretty quickly.
“We’ll be ready for a great sport.”
After a shock 0-3 start, Geelong have steadied their season with comfortable wins over Hawthorn and West Coast.
Sydney present as a tougher opponent, albeit one missing some key players, with Lance Franklin, Dane Rampe, Joel Amartey, Tom McCartin and Paddy McCartin among those out injured.
Whether the grand final drubbing – an 81-point landslide in favour of Geelong – has left any mental scars on the Swans hasn’t factored into Scott’s preparation.
“I do not assume it is good coverage to consider the opposition an excessive amount of in that method,” Scott stated.
“As a coach, I definitely do not hope in any respect … however even when we had been going completely we would be acknowledging we have to get us proper earlier than worrying an excessive amount of about how they are going to method it.
“But it’s a mistake to go into any game thinking the opposition is going to be anything less than their best.”
The absence of Rampe and the McCartin brothers has led Sydney to name up former Essendon swingman Aaron Francis, who will play his first sport for the Swans.
Francis and his fellow defenders face the powerful ask of attempting to curtail in-form Cats forwards Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins.
Hawkins began the marketing campaign slowly after low season foot surgical procedure however has kicked six targets within the final two matches, sending an ominous warning to opponents.
“I still think there’s room for improvement there, just by virtue of the fact that he didn’t have much of a pre-season,” Scott stated.
“It’ll take more than a month to have him perfect but I don’t think it’ll take much longer to get him pretty close to that.
“His suggestions is that he appears like he is actually constructing and is able to play near his greatest footy.”
Geelong have recalled Jon Ceglar and former Swans speedster Gary Rohan rather than injured duo Rhys Stanley and Tyson Stengle.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
