Geelong coach Chris Scott has warned his players against complacency as they look to continue their strong AFL form in Friday night's clash with St Kilda.
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Stung by last year's grand final failure, the Cats endured a patchy start to 2021 but have surged into the top-four with three wins in their past four outings.
A 63-point hammering of competition heavyweights Richmond last week sounded a warning to their premiership rivals as boom recruit Jeremy Cameron ignited his new partnership with fellow star forwards Tom Hawkins and Gary Rohan.
The Cats (5-3) have beaten St Kilda (4-4) in their last four meetings and will start warm favourites at Marvel Stadium.
"We were always confident that our form would improve as the season went on, for various reasons," Scott said.
"But the biggest mistake for us to make would be to get carried away because we beat the best team in the comp - and that's still how we regard them - last week and let it impact on our progression.
"We're trying to get better as the season goes on and this (St Kilda game) is another important step in that."
St Kilda have also shown improvement over the past fortnight, with wins over Hawthorn and Gold Coast thrusting Brett Ratten's side back into contention for a second successive finals appearance.
Those victories coincided with star ruckman Paddy Ryder's return to senior football after a period of personal leave early in the season.
Ryder and ruck partner Rowan Marshall will be crucial to the Saints' chances of getting on top of the Cats at stoppages.
"This year (Geelong's) stoppage numbers have really been an indicator of how they've gone - when they've won clearances they've got field position and scored," Ratten said.
"That's something we'll have to make sure we're doing well."
Geelong skipper Joel Selwood is free to play after being cleared of any wrongdoing in a collision that left Richmond's Rhyan Mansell with a sore head last week.
St Kilda will give four-time best-and-fairest winner Jack Steven a lap of honour before the match.
Steven played 183 games with the Saints before finishing his career with nine games at Geelong last year.
Australian Associated Press
