Testy Cat in denial over Freo problem
Fremantle continue to get under Geelong's skin, even without doing anything.
Cats coach Chris Scott again bristled at suggestions the Dockers have the wood on his side, despite the obvious facts.
Geelong are hosting Fremantle on Saturday night at Simonds Stadium and Scott showed just how touchy he was about Ross Lyon's hold over them.
After Geelong's win over North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, Scott challenged a suggestion from a reporter that Fremantle had a recent history of winning the mind games against the Cats.
"Have they? Really? What do you mean? Can I tell you all the mind games and the stuff off the ball. I don't recall us giving away a heap of free kicks that resulted in goals to Freo," Scott said.
But he is kidding himself.
Fremantle upset the Cats in the 2013 qualifying final in Geelong en route to a grand final appearance. And in 2012 they stunned them in an elimination final at the MCG, again as underdogs.
This season the Dockers dismissed the Cats with ease at Patersons Stadium in Matthew Pavlich's 300th game.
Geelong's only win over the Dockers since early 2011 came in round 14 last year when Freo were severely depleted, without Michael Barlow, David Mundy, Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands.
Geelong claimed their eighth win in their past 10 matches with Saturday night's 32-point win over North Melbourne.
The speed and dazzling skills of Allen Christensen (29 possessions and one goal) and Steven Motlop (21 and two) were crucial to Geelong's success.
"It's a crucial stage of the season and the contenders are playing each other in the run home. Do we need extra motivation? I would be staggered," Scott said.
"If they win the mind games and we win the game, I'll be OK with that."
- The immediate playing future of Fremantle recruit Scott Gumbleton is again under a cloud, with the former Bomber sustaining another leg injury.
Gumbleton, who turned 26 yesterday, was a late withdrawal for Peel on the weekend. The club revealed he had been sent for scans on yet another injury, believed to be soft tissue.
The result of those scans are likely to play a part in whether the 2006 No.2 draft pick remains at the Dockers next season.
The Dockers recruited Gumbleton on a one-year deal with the hopes he would shrug off back and hamstring injuries.
Those hopes were dashed in the NAB Challenge with a serious hamstring tear.
