GEELONG coach Mark Thompson says the premiership race is as open as it's been in years, rating seven teams as capable premiership contenders.

While admitting his own side's 10-1 record was "above expectations" the coach said the opening 11 rounds had proved it was anyone's race.

"There are better teams now than what all of us thought at the start of the year," he said.

"The Hawks are a lot better, the Bulldogs are a lot better, Collingwood is a lot better … Adelaide and Sydney are better teams than we thought. I think there are six or seven teams in the competition than can win it."

While not naming this week's opponent Port Adelaide as one of them, Thompson said the fact the Cats were preparing to play the Power for the seventh time in 18 months was a challenge in itself.

The Cats played Port Adelaide in an exhibition game in London in late 2006 and again during the 2007 NAB Cup before meeting three times during the 2007 season, including last year's Grand Final.

The two sides met in round one this year, with the Cats prevailing by nine points at AAMI Stadium.

"That's a challenge in itself because you can't keep fronting up with the same tactics, the same game plans, the same presentations to the players," Thompson said.

"We have to vary it up and throw lots of things at them (players) so that's a challenge."

With 11 home and away rounds remaining, Thompson said now was the time contenders wanted to start making their runs.

Despite only one loss, the coach said the team was still working on implementing a slightly altered game plan to the one that romped to the 2007 premiership.

"We know that football has changed a little bit and we know that we have got to be open and flexible and keep having the appetite to change and look for improvements," he said.

"We have changed the way we have played this year and we haven't done it perfectly. Hopefully by the end of the year we can do it a lot better than we have been doing it."