Scarlett, who retired at the end of 2012 after a magnificent 284-game career with the Cats, said the Hawks are in better touch than his former team, but that it won't count once both clubs step on to the MCG.
"There will be huge pressure and I think Geelong will handle it better," he said on SEN 1116 on Thursday.
"They enjoy playing the Hawks and they'll be up for it."
Scarlett said Geelong would even benefit from having played last weekend while the Hawks put their feet up.
"The hard part is having the week off because you don’t know how to prepare. Playing that game and keeping it normal is probably the way to go," he said.
The Cats have famously won their last 11 encounters against Hawthorn, but Scarlett said he didn’t believe it was a mental issue.
"Geelong plans for them well and matches up on them well. And they take Hawthorn's kicking game out of it."
Cats defender Tom Lonergan has a fine record on Hawk spearhead Lance Franklin, as does Harry Taylor on Jarryd Roughead, something which Scarlett noted.
"If they do that again, they (Geelong) can win," he said.
"Tommy does his job. He just locks down on Buddy, he's athletic with long arms and get a fist to it.
"It will be interesting to see if they throw him (Franklin) up the ground. They need to do a few different things because it hasn’t worked. Lonergan has his measure."
Scarlett, who will play in a local grand final for South Barwon against Grovedale on Saturday, spent one day each week during the seaon working as a specialist coach at the Western Bulldogs, together with former Cats teammate Cameron Mooney.
He confirmed that he and Mooney will be working two days each week with the Bulldogs in 2014.
"Brendan McCartney is one of the best at developing young players and teaching them how to play," he said.
