Matthew Scarlett played with many outstanding defenders during his 15 seasons in Geelong's backline.

And he rates his great friend Andrew Mackie, who plays his 250th game when the Cats take on Fremantle at Domain Stadium on Friday night, up there with the best of them.

"I always rate players on their performance in the big games, and Mack has been part of a group here that has really enjoyed those big games," Scarlett told geelongcats.com.au.

"For those players it has been a case of the bigger the game the better they played, and Mack is certainly in that group.

"He thrives on the big stage and has certainly never let the club down. I rate him really highly for what he's been able to do in those high-pressure games."

Scarlett has fond memories of Mackie's arrival at Geelong after the slightly-built South Australian was selected by the Cats with pick No. 7 in the 2002 national draft.

"He was skinny and weak and he's still the same now," Scarlett said with a chuckle. "He doesn't enjoy the weights and he hasn't got much stronger over the years.

"But I could always tell that he was super-talented. In his first few training sessions it was clear that he was a really good runner and his skills were really good."

Scarlett and Mackie are the kind of mates who love bantering with each other, and Mackie's early days as a forward have been the source of much humour over the years.

"I think he started his career as a half-forward flanker and couldn't get near a goal or the footy," Scarlett joked.

"I think they were just sick of him up forward because he couldn't get a kick, so they sent him down back and it worked out well.

"It was a great move. He fitted in really well down there and formed a great friendship and bond with us blokes down in the backline.

"He turned out to be a really good attacking defender who could also beat his opponent."

READ: From Sacred Heart to the AFL: Andrew Mackie's journey

WATCH: Highlights of Andrew Mackie's first 249 games

Scarlett and Mackie ended up playing alongside each other in Geelong's 2007, '09 and '11 premiership teams.

Both look back on the closing stages of the 2011 Grand Final, in which the Cats defeated Collingwood, as a high-point of their careers.

"I remember how Mack and I were carrying on during the last 15 minutes of that Grand Final," Scarlett said. "The game was still going on but we couldn't lose, so we were hugging each other.

"We were getting around Tommy Lonergan because it was his first premiership. So it was a really special time for me, Mack and Domsy.

"We were telling each other how much we loved each other. It's one of my favourite memories in football."

Scarlett also cracks a smile when he thinks about Mackie's love of sledging opponents.

"He was one of the best I played alongside," Scarlett said. "He knew he had people backing him up, so he didn't hold back.

"He was always very amusing with his banter and his sledging, so he was great fun to play with.

"I loved him as a teammate, but in general he's just a fantastic bloke."

Mackie's ability to use his sense of humour to lift morale around the club is something that Scarlett has long appreciated.

"Mack is a really caring guy. He loves all his teammates and is quite funny off the field.

"He's got a good balance when it comes to knowing when to be serious and picking the right time to have a joke.

"Footy is a game and he enjoys it and brings others along with him. He's a very valuable bloke to have at our club."

In a turn of events that even he couldn't have predicted three or four years ago, Scarlett's role as Geelong's defensive coach means he now finds himself having to pull Mackie into line from time to time.

But the change of dynamic at the club hasn't impacted on their friendship.

"It's been a bit funny at times," Scarlett said. "But we've got a great deal of respect for each other, and we've got a great friendship, so we can have the hard conversations when we have to."

When he looks back over Mackie's career, Scarlett feels a great sense of pride in what he has achieved.

"Am I surprised by what Mack's done in his career? No. Not really. I saw the talent early on, so I'm not surprised how good he's been.

"Obviously he didn't have a great body to play AFL, and he still hasn't, but he's been really smart in how he's found a way to make it.

"He's become an integral part of a great team. I'm very proud of him."