GEELONG coach Chris Scott is adamant a controversially limited match preparation was not to blame for his team's preliminary final loss to the Sydney Swans on Friday night, but what is not in dispute is the Cats' poor record the week after a rest.

Since 2012, Scott's men have won just one of seven games immediately after having a weekend off. Their past four losses in these circumstances have been by an average of 37 points.

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The Cats' only win in this period was by two points over reigning premier Hawthorn in their qualifying final thriller a fortnight ago – and that was only after Isaac Smith missed a regulation set shot after the siren.

That victory, which came after the AFL's new pre-finals bye, provided the Cats with the supposed luxury of another week's rest.

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However, Geelong played just one game in 27 days leading into its home preliminary final, while minor premier the Sydney Swans had played in each week of the finals.

Compounding matters for the Cats, the Swans are the best starters in the AFL and were fresh from their best-ever start in a final – a 7.3 to 3.2 opening against Adelaide in their cut-throat semi-final.

The Swans trumped that effort with a 7.2 to 0.5 flyer against Geelong – a blitz the Cats never recovered from.

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The Cats had been the competition's best finishers but were also outscored 1.3 to 1.2 in the final term, when they were unable to transfer inside-50 dominance (73-40) to the scoreboard. However, it must be said they were up against the AFL's stingiest combination.

After the match, a disappointed Scott insisted he still felt the extra week off should have worked in the Cats' favour, explaining they simply "didn't deliver" on the night.

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But Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has a different view, suggesting the advantage for top-four teams who win their first final had "dissipated".

"We're creatures of habit – man's made to work," Lyon said on Fox Footy on Friday night.

"Once you break that cycle, it's impossible to replicate a senior AFL game over that period of time.

"It's indisputable, what you saw at the start of that game. You've got to give credit to Sydney, but they came in flint-hard, match-hardened and ready to go …

"It's going to be a real issue — (the AFL) have to look at the formula.

"You've got to be rewarded for winning the most games and making the top four – that's been fundamental to the competition – but this has now dissipated that advantage.

"It's now a potential negative that if you have the week off (and) win the first final – it's one game in 27 days. It's a concern."

* Denotes two weeks off after a game against Adelaide was cancelled following the death of Crows coach Phil Walsh.