Geelong star Paul Chapman has forecast a physical greeting for Gary Ablett when the Cats play against their former teammate.

The Geelong-Gold Coast clash in two weekends' time will be one of the most anticipated games of the season, purely because of Ablett.

Gold Coast enticed Ablett away from Geelong with a massive contract to captain the new club.

Ablett starred for the Suns in Saturday's loss to Adelaide with 41 possessions and four goals.

The round-10 match against Geelong will also be the first match at Gold Coast's redeveloped Carrara Stadium.

Chapman said the Cats would definitely try to put physical pressure on Ablett to nullify him as much as possible.

"We know him quite deeply, obviously, but when we run out against him, he's an opponent and we'll be playing him like we play all the great players," Chapman told Fox Sports' On The Couch program.

"He's fit, he's strong, he's hard to stop - I don't know if you do a run-with role on him or a team defence on him.

"You definitely try to bump into him and knock him around as much as you can, try and slow him down as soon as you can.

"(That) would be one thing that I'd suggest we'd try."

Ablett's move north was one of several big departures for the Cats at the end of last season.

The Cats also lost coach Mark Thompson and his assistant Brendan McCartney to Essendon, while long-time president Frank Costa stood down from the post.

There was an expectation that Geelong's golden era was over, but instead they are the only unbeaten side after eight rounds.

"We lost a lot of good people last year and there were a lot of things hanging over, a lot of innuendos and stuff like that," Chapman said.

"It's nice now not to have anything like that hanging over the club and it seems like a fresh start for us.

"I know the fire still builds for all the older guys and the younger guys are getting an opportunity, taking it with both hands."

Chapman also spoke about how his outstanding AFL career had given his life a good focus, particularly after the death of his brother Glenn in a 1998 work accident.

"Footy clubs are tight places and you can't be seen to be going out and doing the wrong things," he said.

"For me, it has kept me on a straight and narrow - I've had a tragedy and lost a brother a while ago.

"From then, it could have gone either way, but footy is definitely something that kept my mind occupied and gave me a direction."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP