After a seven game winning streak against Port Adelaide, the Cats are ready for a switched on opposition side ahead of tomorrow’s match at AAMI Stadium.

Speaking to FIVEaa radio last night, veteran Andrew Mackie admitted he has been impressed with the way the Power have gone about it this season.

“I’ve watched them throughout the year and their pressure on the ball carrier has been really good. They’re getting good at run and carry and we’re expecting a really good game.

“It will be a good test for us going over to Adelaide and seeing how we go against a Port outfit who we expect to really bounce back.”
Promoted rookie George Burbury will make his debut in the blue and white hoops, the thirteenth player since the 2011 Grand Final to do so.

“He’s a young fella from Tassie; he’s an absolute work horse.

“He’ll be floating around the forward line and I would say that if he tackles anything like he does at training he will bring the heat. That’s what he’s in there for and that’s what he’s good at.

“He’s a bloke that has a crack week in week out and for Scotty to tell him he was in this week is great for everyone.”

As talk turned to the team’s clearance work this season, Mackie gave his honest opinion when hearing the Cats were ranked 18th in the competition for clearances and 16th for scores from clearances.

“It’s something that we’ve spent a bit of time on. The trend started early in the year and we haven’t been able to do much about it.
“It’s something we will continue to look at and it will help us a huge amount once we pick that up.

“Not having the big towering ruckman doesn’t help our cause but what they do give us is a lot of run that the genuine tall ruckmen don’t give other sides.”

After their first loss of the season to Collingwood last week, Mackie explained where he believes it went wrong.

“We have turned the ball over a bit easy, we’ve been playing into opposition hands a bit early.

“We haven’t been starting well so that’s another thing we’ve really got to work on and no better time to do that than this Saturday.”