Cats plan Mitchell, Burgoyne AFL shutdown

Shutting down Hawthorn ball-winners Tom Mitchell and Shaun Burgoyne is top of Geelong AFL coach Chris Scott's to-do list for their MCG clash.

Chris Scott

Geelong Cats coach Chris Scott has upped the ante in the club's rivalry with the Hawks. (AAP)

For Geelong coach Chris Scott, Hawthorn are a much-changed AFL proposition to years past.

But they're still an almighty challenge.

The latest instalment of the game's greatest modern rivalry is set for Saturday afternoon at the MCG.

A look at the ladder positions - 3rd against 13th - suggests this contest might not have the edge of previous years.

Scott doesn't see it that way - and that's before you factor in the occasion of Luke Hodge's 300th match.

In line with the rivalry, Scott has upped the ante for the Hawks - suggesting their season will be over without four points.

"The contests against the Hawks are always ones we look forward to mainly because we respect them so much as an opponent," he said on Thursday.

"The most-important thing is the outcome for the teams because the season is so close.

"I would suggest that they would think they can't afford to drop too many more or their season's in a little bit of trouble."

Hawthorn have made a late rally to keep their finals hopes alive, with two wins and a draw against GWS in their past three.

To Scott, stopping Alastair Clarkson's revamped side involves playing a different way - and stopping a different man.

Tom Mitchell is a certainty to claim the club's best and fairest in his first season at Waverley. The Cats' coach said the insertion of the former Swan into Clarkson's side had changed the team.

"Their work around the contests and the stoppage work has been exceptional. In previous years, they've been so good with the ball, that hasn't been a priority," he said.

"To go back a fortnight, they just slaughtered Collingwood around the stoppages, especially with their ability to score from there. It's a little bit unusual for Hawthorn.

"(Shaun) Burgoyne and Tom Mitchell around there have been exceptional."

"(Tagging Mitchell) has to be an option. We won't go into the game saying 'let's just let him do whatever he wants'. The same goes for Burgoyne.

"It's something we've put a lot of thought into and something I suspect will chop and change through the game as well."

The Cats have an improving injury list, with Scott bringing back Scott Selwood and Daniel Menzel for the round-17 match.

"Fortunately, we don't have too many that are absolutely out. We've got some positive decisions to make," he said.


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Source: AAP


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