"WHY NOT us?"
That's the question from Geelong coach Chris Scott who declared his side was better placed to challenge ladder leaders Richmond for the second time in six weeks on Friday night.
Fresh from the Cats' 42-point win over Brisbane at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday, Scott's attention quickly turned to ending the Tigers' record run of 18-straight wins at the MCG.
"Yep, I think we are (in better shape)," Scott said.
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"It's a game that some people think the competition should be resigned to losing.
"We're just excited at the prospect of having a good swing at it. I'm actually in the camp, it's a small camp, that believes they can be beaten and why not us?"
While Tom Hawkins bagged seven goals for a second consecutive week, Scott was glowing in his assessment of ruckman Rhys Stanley's form against Brisbane.
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Stanley backed up his performance against Demon Max Gawn last week in his bout with Lion Stefan Martin.
"He'd be up there with the best ruckmen in the competition at the moment," Scott said.
"Rhys was not playing the footy that he can play early in the year, but he's turned it around.
"That's a real credit to him and it's important for our team as well."
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Gary Ablett's last-quarter performance against the Demons carried into Saturday's match, picking up 38 disposals, including an equal season-high 16 contested possessions.
"I think he's tracking very nicely to be playing some good footy when it really counts," Scott said.
Speaking post-game, Ablett couldn't contain his excitement ahead of his first Friday night match at the MCG since the 2010 preliminary final against Collingwood, his last game as a Cat.
"That's why you play footy, to play in front of those big crowds against the best teams," Ablett said. "No doubt that'll be the case this week against Richmond."
Ablett revealed he spoke to former teammate Tom Lonergan earlier this month after the former Cat questioned his body.
Speaking on the Don't Argue podcast, Lonergan said Ablett's shoulder, one he injured in his time on the Gold Coast, was "a lot worse than probably anyone knows about."
"(The) shoulder's fine, I spoke to Tom after that and the shoulder's fine," Ablett said.
"He (Lonergan) gave me the heads up, he gave me a call just to let me know that he'd spoken on a podcast and I assured him the shoulder's fine."
Ablett and his teammates will be looking to atone for the 18-point round 13 loss to the Tigers, the Cats' most recent match at the MCG.
