CHRIS Scott is confident Geelong's stunning second-half turnaround against Port Adelaide has it well placed to take on arch-rival Hawthorn in next Friday night's preliminary final.
Scott said Geelong’s performance in the first half against Port was as poor as at any time of the 2013 season, following lacklustre performances against the Brisbane Lions in round 23 and Fremantle in the opening week of the finals.
But he was confident the Cats' ability to overcome a 23-point deficit against Port and run out 16-point winners meant they had put their form woes behind them.
"For probably the last two-and-a-half games, taking out the last half tonight, we've played poorly," Scott said.
"That's really disappointing when you set your season up … to be playing your best footy at the end of the year. We've played as badly the last three weeks as we have all season.
"In the second half, to turn that around and play some of our best footy is a really exciting thing for next week."
Geelong has not been beaten by Hawthorn since the 2008 Grand Final, with its 11-match winning streak featuring a few get-out-of-jail victories that gave rise to the so-called Kennett Curse.
Scott does not believe in the curse, and says Geelong's recent dominance of Hawthorn will count for nothing next Friday night.
"I reckon it's BS to be honest. Who cares who the pressure's on?" he said.
"I hope our players think they're going to win no matter what and I hope the Hawks players are really concerned about it, but I'd be surprised.
"Elite athletes, the best AFL footballers in the world, if they're going in with some mental demons I'd be surprised."
Scott said the Hawks would enter the preliminary final in the "box seat" given their strong form in their preliminary final win over the Sydney Swans and the fact they were coming off a week's rest.
"But our best footy is pretty good and can challenge the best," Scott said.
"I'm not saying it's better than anyone else's because Hawthorn and Freo in particular are playing great footy, but we'll give it a shake next
week."
