The Cats are within one win of reaching the final of the pre-season competition, as the club bids to win its first senior trophy since its last premiership success way back in 1963.
It has been a long wait for Cats’ fans particularly given the club has not only lost grand finals in 1967, 89, 92, 94 and 95 since then but also the pre-season grand finals of 1988, 89 and 97.
So it is little wonder the Cats and their success-starved fans are looking forward to Friday night’s semi-final against a similarly desperate Melbourne side, whose only senior trophies since its last premiership win in 1964 were the night series/pre-season cups of 1987 and 1989.
Thompson, whose team last made the finals in 2000, said the chance to sample the big occasion of a Wizard Cup grand final would be a huge step forward in the development of his side.
“I think it would be great for everybody involved and it will give everybody a bit of confidence,” he said after the team set up its semi-final clash with Melbourne by beating Carlton in Saturday’s quarter-final at Optus Oval.
Thompson said that reaching the Wizard Cup grand final would also ensure the Cats get the best possible preparation for the season ahead through maximum match conditioning.
“We have played two hard games already, they have both been close at half-time and we’re playing on quality grounds,” he said.
“We’re playing real competition so where do we gain experience – by doing exactly what we are doing and that’s what we are doing next week (against Melbourne).”
However the chance to play in a Wizard Cup final – possibly in front of a near full-house at the 53,000 capacity Telstra Dome – would further bolster the Cats’ preparations.
And there is a chance that if Geelong can beat Melbourne in Friday night’s first semi-final – they could meet St Kilda (which meets Essendon in the other semi-final on Saturday night) in the final, which would be a sneak preview of the their round one clash at Telstra Dome.
Thompson said not only is a good Wizard Cup run a great chance to help his players gain confidence, senior experience and match hardening for the season ahead but it also has given the club a chance to find new players capable of becoming regulars in the senior side.
