Stinear on the Cats' focus on Friday night

We have still got a few question marks, hopefully Jackie is able to return, but then Claudia Gunjaca as well. There is probably still some little personnel shifts that might give us a chance to embed a few things.

Week to week, there has just been little things, whether it is our contest method or our team defence. Whether it is taking away teams uncontested marks, our ball use, there has just been little things and I just don't see that shifting.

Obviously the way we compete, our intensity and our ability to play for each other and our fundamentals, they drive our game style and they will remain strong. Then there is just going to be these little tweaks from week to week that we need to keep sharpening up on.

Depending on who you play against, those little tweaks are in certain areas that can give you really good return on investment.

We just feel like we are this constant work in progress, that we are really proud of a lot of the stuff that we are doing. Then there are these little percentage gains that we are chasing, and I feel like that will be us this week and then that will be our Finals campaign as well. 

Stinear on improving defensively 

I think against Freo, it was a highly physical game. I feel like the last quarter, we dropped away a little bit and there was a few moving parts in that quarter, but we could have been a bit grittier to close it out.

Prior to that, we probably conceded too many uncontested marks and gave them a bit of territory. Then our defensive 50 stoppages were a bit lacklustre.

It was probably one against West Coast, when they scored and then two against Freo, where we could have been a lot sharper. Definitely some scope there, but probably more tightening up of things rather than these big areas that we need to get better at.

I feel like our team defence has really improved as the season has gone on, and where we have improved there, it hasn't necessarily impacted our ability to score and the way we are competing. I feel like we have been able to evolve without losing anything, which is definitely going to be important when you are playing against good sides, like this week and beyond. 

Stinear on Chantal Mason's Rising Star nomination

She has been brilliant.

I think her off-season had been excellent, she put a lot of hard work in during the earlier months and then that flowed through to the season.

She has done such a great job so far this year, often starting on the bench and going forward. Then she pinch hits through the ruck, there have been games like Essendon where she was the number one ruck, against Wales who is a quality player. She has embraced any challenge we have given her.

But aerially, she is a real threat. Her ground level game is continuing to evolve, her ability to hit the scoreboard is strong. I think her teammates are just loving her competitiveness and they know what they are going to get from her.

She has a really good head on her shoulders, is showing great leadership as well. I think just good external recognition for the work she has put in, and the season she is having for our team. I know she wants to be part of something greater with the team this season and beyond, so she has been a pleasure for us to coach. 

Stinear on the potential of playing Melbourne in a Final

If that were to eventuate, that would be a great opportunity for our program.

I guess it is a program and a club that I know well, and players I know well. It is a good problem for us to have, if that pops up.

But we are still firmly fixated on training well today, another opportunity to get better. Then the Bulldogs are going to give us a really good challenge with their pressure and physicality.

So that is our next opportunity, but if that situation presents in the future then yep, I would be rapt at that opportunity for both clubs to have that chance and experience in a Final.

But for right now, we are ready to evolve again as a team and get better today, then into Friday night.