They have been steadily rising up the ladder and progressing positively in recent years, but Chris Scott understands the task that awaits on Friday night as the Cats prepare to do battle with the Gold Coast Suns. 

Fresh off a season where they featured in September for the first time and clinched their first Finals victory, Gold Coast had a busy off-season acquiring the likes of Christian Petracca and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who are set to feature alongside established stars like Noah Anderson and Ben King. 

It presents a strong challenge for Geelong as they look to start their 2026 campaign on a positive note, but the Cats also hold a strong record against the Suns having won 13 of 17 matches since Gold Coast entered the AFL in 2011. 

There are plenty of exciting things ahead for the Cats, as they look to build on a strong season in 2025 which saw them progress all the way to the Grand Final. 

But heading into their season opener, Chris Scott was full of respect for Geelong's opponent as the Cats prepare for a big clash in the Sunshine State. 

"If you were coaching that team, I think rather than thinking about what their biggest strengths are, the thing that would excite them is the lack of weaknesses," Scott said during Tuesday's press conference. 

"Their forward line looks potent, Ugle-Hagan only helps you would assume. The Victorian team was pretty strong in AFL Origin, and it was basically the Gold Coast midfield plus the full forward and the full back as well.

"They are strong all over the place, I would imagine picking that team is pretty hard. They have got not only first-round picks, but picks one, two and three that are struggling to get into the team.

"It is annoying for them, daunting for us."

While Gold Coast look likely to have some new faces in their starting line-up on Friday, Geelong will also have a different looking team to the one that featured at the end of 2025. 

Scott confirmed the availability of some key Cats during his press conference on Tuesday, but also spoke about some players that had impressed over the pre-season. 

The master coach said that there has been plenty of thought going into Geelong's team for the Opening Round, not willing to rule out the possibility of some new faces featuring against the Suns. 

"We are thinking hard about that," Scott admitted. 

"Because leading into the first game you have always got more time than you do in season, we have got a pretty good idea of the way we are going to go.

"But there are a few balls in the air, and those guys have provided us some options that maybe we didn't think were as live six months ago.

"Worpel and Bruhn coming into the team tightens it up a little bit already, but definitely Edwards and Polkinghorne have done a great job of putting themselves in the frame."

Scott was also full of praise for Tanner Bruhn after a strong pre-season, proving in Geelong's practice match against Carlton that he is ready to go when the season kicks off on Friday night. 

"We are confident, and we were confident going into the 2025 season, that he was going to be an important midfield player for us," Scott said. 

"We still think that is the case, but he was always going to be a flexible player as well.

"We have taken the opportunity through our training to look at him in positions behind the ball, but it is just fantastic for him to get out there and be able to concentrate on footy.

"I am excited about it all, I try not to individualise too much. It is his first game, but he has really been training well and he is ready to go."