Speaking after his team had maintained its perfect record with a 27-point win over the Brisbane Lions on Saturday, Thompson was asked to assess his side’s progress in 2008.
And while the Cats coach gave the indication he was happy enough with his team’s progress, he was quick to point out that the Geelong side of 2008 will need to have a few different tricks up its sleeve this season to repeat last year’s heroics.
“We’ve had great patches,” Thompson said.
“We haven’t played our best footy and we’re learning to cope with what the opposition are throwing at us on a weekly basis … football’s changed, and it’s changed from last year.
“Teams are certainly defending with more method and certainly attacking the games quicker and more goals are being scored … there’s more [forward] entries.
“So yeah the game’s changed from last year.
“We just have to sit down, learn from it and work out ways to be better at what we do.”
Thompson said his team was able to change its game in the final three quarters in Saturday’s win against the Lions at Skilled Stadium after a terrible opening term.
“Our big focus all week was to try to have a good start and we certainly didn’t,” Thompson said.
“It was one of our worst quarters of footy for a while I think.”
The premiership coach said he couldn’t remember the last time his team had been so down in terms of inside 50s.
In the opening quarter, the Lions went inside their attacking zone 20 times to the Cats’ seven.
So, how was Geelong able to turn it all around?
“Just a few players and our structures basically,” he said.
“I think after quarter-time we just reset and went back to the sort of game that we … want to be known for.
“To be able to play that footy for the last three quarters was a real positive in our eyes.”
