THE OPTIMISM surrounding Geelong during the pre-season seems justified according to Cats coach Chris Scott.

After accounting for West Coast by 44 points and with many of its stars in good form, Scott said conversion was the only part of the Cats game the coaching group could be critical of at this stage of the season.

He said it was most pleasing to be challenged midway through the third quarter – when the Eagles dragged the deficit back from 51 to 19 points in the blink of an eye – and respond with the next five goals.

Five talking points Geelong v West Coast

"At least we've got a bit of a platform now, where the optimism we had pre-season seems to be reasonably well-founded," Scott said.

Although he expects the Cats to lose speedy small forward Lincoln McCarthy, who left the ground after 10 minutes with an ankle injury, Scott is hopeful Nakia Cockatoo will recover from being kicked in the leg and ruckman Rhys Stanley will escape suspension after being reported.

He said while Cockatoo looked to be struggling he was merely in pain and not risking any further damage.

"It's one of those rare situations where the medical staff are saying, 'Look, he's fine', and we're looking at him saying 'He doesn't look fine,'" Scott said 

"It was a painful thing that had no potential for further damage. 

Scott said the incident involving Stanley, when he was reported for rough conduct after cannoning into Brad Sheppard's shoulder, was not a concern. 

"We're not worried about it all. [We've] had the benefit, unlike the umpire in the moment, of stopping and looking at the vision and our view, and I am sure it will be shared by the MRP, is that there was no head contact and he will be fine," Scott said.

WATCH Chris Scott's full media conference

Stanley's performance was typical of the way he plays.

At times he dominated, kicking two goals and accelerating like an emu.

But it was Stanley who was rucking against Nic Naitanui when the big man threatened to swing the game back West Coast's way.

Scott admitted he had some concerns.

"When a team has momentum like that it can be hard to arrest, especially when it's centre clearance, inside 50, goal, it's kind of hard to manipulate it too much. We changed a few things subtly," Scott said.

For the moment Geelong sits, until North Melbourne plays St Kilda at least, on top of the ladder after seven rounds.

It faces an in-form Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Friday night with its superstar Patrick Dangerfield returning to the place where he made his name.

"I think Paddy will be up for it, but he will just go about his business I suspect," Scott said.