Needing to win their last two games and even then knowing that might not be enough, Geelong coach Chris Scott is confident his team will confront Collingwood at the MCG on Friday night determined to do the cut-throat occasion justice.
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The Cats will lose Josh Caddy to a knee injury and be without Mitch Duncan (calf) for a third game in a row, but look set to bring Daniel Menzel back for his first game in nearly four years and have James Kelly and Mathew Stokes available for selection.
Scott saw upside in last week's draw with St Kilda, not least that they could still play finals for a ninth season in a row.
"The positive is, with percentage the way it is given Adelaide's game against Brisbane on the weekend, it appears the two points was as good as four. So we're well and truly alive," Scott said.
"But for all the possibilities, our focus is on making sure we play really well on Friday night, that's all we can do. I'm confident we'll do it. We'll certainly go in with the right attitude to the game - we'll be desperate, and we'll be ready to play our best."
If the Crows beat West Coast at Adelaide Oval on Sunday the Cats won't play finals regardless of how they fare against the Magpies and then Adelaide at Simonds Stadium in round 23.
Jared Rivers' retirement this week is expected to be followed by other decorated veterans at season's end, but Scott doesn't believe how they finish the season will have any bearing on whether Steven Motlop, who has been strongly linked with Richmond, will remain at the club.
"I said about a month ago that I'm very comfortable with the position and very confident that Steve's a committed Geelong player, and that view has only strengthened in the last couple of weeks."
The coach said Mitch Clark would miss again with a calf injury, and hinted that the big man's season was over. "The likely outcome there is his focus will go into a strong pre-season, being more robust than he was for this season."
