With Patrick Dangerfield, Cam Guthrie, Mitch Duncan, Max Holmes, Esava Ratugolea and Rhys Stanley all sidelined due to injury, Geelong matched the Western Bulldogs around the ball and then made the most of its chances in the second half, converting the final six goals of the game to end a three-game losing streak. 

“I’m really proud of the approach our players took to the game. I thought it was a high-quality game” Chris Scott said post-match. 

“We didn’t feel like we had control of it for large periods, but our less experienced players played with the kind of assertiveness and positivity that we were after. That’s the exciting part.

“I can’t speak for every player or person within the footy department, because everyone is a little bit different, but I do have a degree of confidence that while there is a bit of talk about what the future will hold, whether we win or lose, we’re just not in that mindset. We’re far from in a position where we think we’re off and rolling. 

“We’ll get some players back post-bye – Dangerfield will play, Duncan will play, Holmes will play – but after tonight, I shouldn’t say that because I can’t work out who is going to go out.”

Ratugolea is expected to miss the first two games after the bye against Port Adelaide and Melbourne due to a hamstring strain, but could be available for the trip to the SCG in round 16, while Guthrie won’t be available until the final month of the home and away season due to the toe injury that has sidelined him for the past month. 

After starting last year 5-4 before winning the final 16 games of the season to go all the way, Scott believes the Cats are well placed to make another deep charge this September, despite starting the season 6-6. 

“It is a sound enough platform in my opinion, but I would have say the same if we had of lost. I think I understand better than I ever have how different our job is to yours, and I don’t envy you in some ways, because after every game you need to make an assessment and back it up with some evidence of what this means in the context of the season. We just don’t think that way, and I get it,” he said.

“A lot of teams for good reason don’t think if they get on a roll they can just win every week because they’re developing or whatever it is. We’re not over confident and we’re not thinking too far ahead. We’re not overconfident but I think when you’ve got optimism, if the equation becomes you’ve got to win every game from here, I’ll sit here and say we can do that.”