Unhappy with Geelong's preliminary final performances in its past two September campaigns, coach Mark Thompson is set to vary this year's preparation to have his team in peak form in two week's time.

The Cats earned the right to contest their third-straight 'prelim' with a hard-fought but thoroughly professional 14-point qualifying final victory over the Western Bulldogs at the MCG on Saturday.

While Geelong managed to win back-to-back preliminary finals in 2007-08 against Collingwood by five points and the Bulldogs by 29, Thompson believes his players failed to bring their 'A-game' on both occasions, and blames a flawed preparation.

"We've had two cracks at it now where we haven't handled the week off that well, so we're going to do it a little bit different and see if we can't get it right and have a fantastic preliminary final," Thompson said.

"We're just going to train for two weeks, just keep it very normal, keep it footy-focused, basically."

"We've had close preliminary finals the past two years and it's no good for your heart when you have those ones, you want to win by a bit more."

Thompson agreed that it made a difference to the Cats, whose form leading into Saturday was sub-par by their own stellar standards, that for the first time in ages there was something at stake.

"We just had a really aggressive and attacking frame and preparation to the game so maybe that was a reflection of how we wanted to start," he said.

"I was quite nervous driving into the ground and I was quite nervous before the game so maybe it did mean something to a few people and maybe it's a good feeling to have back in our group."

Thompson praised his defence generally and Corey Enright and Matthew Scarlett in particular for their 'outstanding' performances and said he was delighted that his senior players set the tone.

The back six, he said, deserved credit not only for the defensive pressure they exerted but the attacking platform they provided throughout the contest.

"It's just part of the game that's evolving that defenders are having massive stats," said Thompson.

"Matthew Scarlett had 30 (possessions), that's amazing, but it just happens and it's great that it does."

"Our defenders feel comfortable running off if they feel that the ball is coming down under pressure and our pressure today was very acceptable."