I’ll take that: Gary Ablett ducks in to take a ball beyond the reach of teammate James Kelly at Skilled Stadium on the weekend. Picture: Tommy Ritchie 52609
Andrew Mathieson
GEELONG coach Mark Thompson has confidently declared this year’s Cats have reached the peak of their powers.
“This is probably the best shape we have been any time in the last four years,” he said.
The ominous warning comes on the eve of Friday night’s crucial qualifying final against St Kilda.
The Cats are aiming to win a third AFL title in four years.
Thompson dismissed comparisons to Brisbane’s triple-crown triumph between 2001 and 2003.
“Let’s win the flag first,” he responded.
“I really don’t care how we get rated compared to any other team.”
Bookmakers concur with Thompson, backing Geelong as premiership favourite despite the Cats losing to minor premiers Collingwood and the Saints in their last encounters.
St Kilda have also won two of the past three gruelling battles but the Cats had the edge in the 2009 grand final when it mattered.
Thompson predicted another war of attrition.
“Our match-ups are crucial – we have to get in great physical shape, mental state of mind will have to be fantastic, we have to be up for the game and no doubt we are,” he said.
“Then it’s going to come down to who has legs at the end and who is still standing.”
The last time the two contenders clashed St Kilda hardman Steven Baker was controversially rubbed out for nine matches and mercurial forward Steve Johnson copped three for whacking the aggressive Saint tagger back.
Thompson has pleaded for the AFL to clean up behind-play incidents in the wake of the controversial altercation last time the two sides clashed.
“I just hope it’s good for the umpires to come out and take control of the match straight up and that would have saved all of the hassle out of the last time we played,” he said.
“Finals are serious games – there’s a lot at stake.”
However, St Kilda coach Ross Lyon has defended Baker’s rough-housing tactics.
“I’m on record that Steven plays within the laws of game,” Lyon said.
“He’s certainly copped a suspension and it’s all debatable.
“As I’ve said, there are plenty things on both sides of the fence that get missed, so I just want all players to have equal protection and be umpired to the laws of the game.”
Geelong captain Cameron Ling paid respect to St Kilda, who has a superior record to the Cats over the past two seasons.
But he said Geelong remained “very motivated to keep being successful”.
“We know it’s going to be a huge challenge this week but the good thing about this group is they’re all up for a challenge,” he said.
“St Kilda is a quality team but we feel that if we play our absolute best we’ll be well and truly in the game, giving them a run for their money.”
