GEELONG coach Chris Scott has fired back at AFL great Wayne Carey's assessment that the Cats are a better side without Gary Ablett. 

Carey took to AFL.com.au's Pick a Winner a fortnight ago to say the Cats would function better in Ablett's absence due to the superstar's lack of defensive pressure.

Scott took a swipe back, suggesting Carey's jealousy could be impacting his opinion on Ablett.

"I give it a little more credence if it's during the game, where they can actually see it," Scott said on Thursday.

"I suspect that there's a fair bit of looking at numbers and hearsay and other people's opinions when you haven't seen the game up close.

"Maybe he has watched it and analysed it really closely, maybe he just hates the talk of Gary being talked about as the best player of all time and think that title should be directed towards him so (he's) just trying to chip away a little bit."

According to Champion Data, the Cats have laid 37 and 43 front-half tackles in their past two matches, up from the 18 they averaged across the first three rounds.  

Scott denied Ablett's omission was a factor in Geelong's increased pressure, having missed the past two games with a hamstring injury.

"I don't share the view, almost without exception the best midfielders in the comp aren't renowned for their defensive abilities," Scott said.

"Every team needs to get the balance right. Gary's going to be a really good player for us and has already."

Previewing Geelong's round four clash with St Kilda – the first match Ablett missed for the season – Carey said the Cats would be better placed without him. 

CAREY'S CRACK: AFL great slams Ablett

"I think they'll be better without Gary Ablett," Carey said.

"Gary Ablett doesn't give you a lot defensively and I think Gary, and I think he'll admit himself, and a lot of people have noticed, that Gary just chips the ball around.

"He gets a lot of cheap possessions at the moment."

Meanwhile, Ablett will be put on ice for at least one more week as the Cats continue to be cautious after two hamstring injuries this year, the first coming in pre-season.

"Technically he is (right), but I think we're in the position where we can say he's not going to play," Scott said.

"We always said we were going to wait until he was right and wait a little bit longer. The signs are pretty good for next week but I can't confirm that either."

Geelong's round seven clash with Greater Western Sydney falls 25 days after the loss against West Coast when Ablett suffered his second hamstring injury.