GEELONG is optimistic it can bounce back from its qualifying final drubbing from Richmond, with coach Chris Scott saying the Cats would quickly shift their focus to their semi final opponents.
The Cats had no answers to the manic pressure Richmond brought to the MCG on Friday. Behind for most of the game – and flattered at times by the margin – Geelong capitulated after drawing level midway through the third term, unable to stop the Tigers from piling on 10 of the last 12 goals as they powered to a 51-point win.
Scott said after the game Geelong had carried too many poor performers on the night.
But the 2011 premiership coach said the Cats would be hellbent on avoiding a straight-sets exit from the finals next Saturday night when they take on the winner of the Sydney-Essendon elimination final.
"You go into that side of the draw you can make an argument to say that Adelaide and Sydney have been the best two teams for a lot of the year," Scott said.
Five things we learned from Geelong v Richmond
"But we worked really hard to get ourselves into this position where we could have another crack at it – Sydney has got to beat Essendon as well – so we have no choice but to be optimistic about what we can do.
"But when you're playing at this end of the season the opposition is good and if you're not as good as you can be you can get exploited pretty badly, which happened in the last quarter.
"Next week will be tough irrespective of who we play, but we're up for the fight that's the most important thing."
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The Cats will almost certainly be without Cameron Guthrie and Jake Kolodjashnij next Saturday night after they suffered calf injuries against Richmond, with Scott conceding both might be done for the season.
"Guthrie's (injury) is significant, I think. I'm sort of more optimistic on Kolodjashnij but not overly optimistic," Scott said.
WATCH: Chris Scott's full post-match media conference
Guthrie will be a significant loss for the Cats. He spent much of the first half of Friday night's game on Dustin Martin and kept the Richmond superstar to 14 solid rather than telling possessions. After Guthrie went off, Martin blew the game apart.
Scott said Joel Selwood had emerged unscathed from his first game since round 20, having made an unusually speedy return from a syndesmosis ankle sprain.
The Cats skipper (19 possessions) was understandably below his best against the Tigers, but Scott was optimistic he would be better in the second week of the finals.
Forward Daniel Menzel will also be strongly considered for next Friday night's semi-final.
Scott said the Cats had left Menzel out of the qualifying final team largely because of forecast wet weather, but said he was "more than likely" to return next week.
