Scott on the feeling around the club

It is excitement. We were really looking forward to last week, and looking forward to this week just as much.

You never go into a Finals series thinking that it is going to be easy, whether you finish on top of the ladder or whether you just scrape in. But also you know that there is real opportunity there.

All the teams that make it work so hard to get to this point, and it is quite confronting in a way when you do all that work and then realise, this could be it. It is a bit unfair in a way that all that work boils down to one particular game, but from our perspective at least, we feel excited at the prospect of going over there in pretty good shape.

We have a bit of momentum, whatever that means. But I think what it probably means for us is that we have some justification to feel good about our game. 

Scott on the health of Geelong's list

I would actually say the opposite. Coming out of the game, I know some of the pictures can be a little deceiving.

I think I said post-game, I would caution anyone against anyone looking at a player getting some treatment and thinking he is banged up.

We were really clear in our approach with Cameron and Holmes in particular, and as always, a bit of uncertainty as to how things are going to play out. In terms of what we were after, it was pretty close to exactly what we were hoping for, in terms of their physical preparation.

That is to say that we think they will be better this week than they were last week. They have pulled up really well, so the indications are good there. I think we sat Tanner Bruhn a little bit late, but he is fine. 

Scott on combating Fremantle's tall forwards

We have always been a horses for courses selection panel.

There are multiple ways of thinking about it, but I think the short answer to that is that [Sam De Koning] is absolutely in the frame, as he was last week.

In a way, it was a little bit strange that he wasn't in our team last week, I completely acknowledge that.

He has been a really important player for us, and I am confident that he will be as soon as this week.

There is a bit to work through before we actually make that decision, but it is very obvious to us already that he will be on the plane. 

Scott on the ruck battle on Friday night

Mitch is 20, and he has done a super job for us this year. I am very, very optimistic about what the long term is going to look like with Mitch.

But I think we have been more clear than we have been in the past around our thinking with some of the younger players. Polkinghorne is a good example of someone that we have been prepared to wait on in the VFL, until we think they are really ready to come in and have an impact.

That is a similar approach to the one we took with Mitch Edwards. We haven't brought him in for any game thinking this is just a chance to nurse him through and give him a bit of experience. We brought him in because we thought he was the best equipped to play that role, and he has delivered for us this year.

He is a different sort of player to Jackson, and my suggestion is for him to play to his strengths.

Even the very best players in the competition aren't perfect in every way, so you have to be thoughtful about how you mitigate their strengths. But you also need to be aggressive in challenging them in other areas, and Mitch is very well equipped to do that. 

Scott on how the Cats match-up with Fremantle

I am never over-confident in that respect.

We played them Round 1 down here, they dominated early and we were able to come back. The return game in Perth was a little bit the opposite, we had control of the game early and then they were good enough to come back and win.

Both of those games were a little bit different, I suspect this one will be different again.

There is an argument and I think there is some evidence that some teams match-up better rather than others. I don't think there is a real pattern from previous match-ups.

We have confidence in our game standing up against anyone. Even if you refer back to last week, I think it is a mistake to go no it's easy.

The superficial analysis is just do what Hawthorn did, but that is easier said than done. I think you can get caught up a little bit in focusing too much on the opposition and getting away from your strengths.