THERE isn't much that makes Joel Selwood choke on his words, or Chris Scott get emotional.

Mitch Duncan is tough and unrelenting, and also not one to expose a vulnerable side to his personality.

But all three had something in their eye on Friday night, not when dissecting Geelong's 61-point loss to Adelaide in the preliminary final, but when talking about retiring Cats Tom Lonergan and Andrew Mackie.

Selwood, bruised and bloodied as per the post-match norm, had a definite quiver in his voice when asked about how the Cats would cope without the two stalwarts on the team next year.

"It's going to be sad not having them. Being next to 'Domsy's' (Lonergan's) locker for a long time and Mack's just such a great person," Selwood choked out in the rooms.

"Two individuals who really set the standard for this club for a long time and not just on the field, but off it.

"They set the right tone, behaved really well. They're going to be missed in many ways."

Mackie might not be going far. He's been offered the chance to remain at the club next season in a role that's yet to be defined, a move confirmed by Scott when he elected to start his post-match press conference with a statement paying tribute to the pair and outgoing football manager Steve Hocking.

He described Hocking, who is headed to AFL headquarters to take up the football operations role next month, as "one of the best people I've met in footy".

As for his players, he said both would leave giant holes after hanging up the boots following a combined 489 games.

"We all aspire in some ways to be like 'Mack' on and off the field, he's going to be a significant loss, and Tom Lonergan, watching him go back with the flight of the ball again … he virtually doesn't have any internal organs left but he continually puts his body on the line for his mates," Scott said.

"He's been a warrior for us, and again, the players and staff members at our club love him."

Duncan admitted he didn't want to come off in the last quarter because he wanted to soak up every last minute of playing alongside them.

All the Cats interviewed after last week's semi-final win over Sydney said there was a part of them that was doing it for Lonergan, after he missed the game with a stomach illness.

Duncan said he simply didn't want the moment to end, even as the Crows ran away with the contest and booked themselves a spot in the Grand Final.

"I didn't want to let them down. They've been two stalwarts of our footy club and they'll go down as champions," Duncan said.

 "I'm sad to finish on the note that we did but they've taught me great values about the footy club, how to be a Geelong person through and through. I can't thank them enough."

Lonergan stayed behind closed doors for a long time after the game. Mackie, emotional and exhausted, came out and was comforted by his parents Mark and Joanne.

Mackie thanked the club for everything it done for him.

Lonergan paid tribute to a great 15 years with Mackie by his side.   

And Scott, while he didn't want to talk too much about how the Cats would right the wrongs of Friday night's loss at Adelaide Oval, couldn't play down how much it would hurt to lose them both.

"It will be significant," Scott said.

"You don't just replace guys who have been around for 13, 14, 15 years in a day.

"We've worked really hard as a club over the last seven-eight years to transition our list, and there aren't many left from the premiership era.

"One of the unfortunate things about footy, especially at this time of year, is that it moves on.

"As much as we love these people and we would love them to be around forever, we've got to do our very best to look forward and to making life as good at the Geelong footy club as it can possibly be without them."

 

 "It's going to be hard to see them go. They'll probably be irreplaceable but we need players to come through and build their careers.