MINOR premier Geelong might have a preferred qualifying final opponent but they are keeping it to themselves.

Star midfielder Gary Ablett, speaking exclusively to afl.com.au after the Cats dismissed the Roos on Sunday at Skilled Stadium, said he would keep a close eye on this weekend’s round 22 matches as they waited to find out their first finals opponent.

Ablett said while his side’s main focus was on West Coast this week, he and his teammates couldn’t help but be aware of what was going on in the race for the top four.

Asked whether the Cats had a preference as to which side they hoped to face in week one of the finals, Ablett said it probably varied from player to player, but it wasn't worth worrying about.

“I’m sure the guys [have it] in the back of their mind, maybe a few of them have got different teams they’d like to play, teams that they think we’ve performed well against,” Ablett said.

“But it’s not anything we talk about as a team.

“We don’t think it’s good to be talking about ‘we hope this team’ or ‘we hope this side does that’. Whatever happens, happens.”

Ablett was prominent against the Kangaroos with 27 disposals, although he admitted some post-match soreness as his body continues to adjust to the rigours of AFL football after three weeks on the sidelines with an ankle injury.

“I’ve missed three weeks and [I’m] still coming back, the body’s still getting used to it,” Ablett said.

“You lose a bit of conditioning over those three weeks.

“I had to stay off the foot for a fair bit of time, so you do lose a bit of conditioning but each week I’m slowly getting more and more back.

“The soreness is a good thing.”

The 24-year-old, who has only missed one match the previous three seasons, said missing three matches had been frustrating. He also found some stories about his injury – which at one stage led to Brownlow Medal betting being suspended – quite bemusing.

“It was tough sitting there and watching because I haven’t had an injury like the foot that’s really kept me out for that long,” Ablett said.

“It was quite amazing, some of the rumours going around, the broken foot and broken ankle, out for the season.

“What can you do? I just tried to get myself back as early as I could.”