Geelong coach Chris Scott says he would be surprised and disappointed if his players aim to use Saturday night's AFL clash with Essendon to prove a point to their former mentor Mark Thompson.

It will be the first meeting between the clubs since two-time Geelong premiership coach Thompson quit the Cats at the end of last season, later joining the Bombers as an assistant.

The style of Thompson's exit - for which he cited burn-out - with a year left on his contract, angered the Cats hierarchy, who believed he hid his intention to join the Bombers.

But Geelong's pain at losing their 11-year coach, who took the Cats to a drought-breaking flag in 2007 and another in 2009, has been eased by Scott's stunning early success.

The rookie coach has already set a VFL/AFL record by guiding his team to victory in each of the first 13 games of his career.

Scott said his players had been unwavering in their professional approach during that unbroken streak, and he did not want that changing because Thompson was in the opposition box on Saturday night.

"As I've said a number of times and I'll continue to say, I'd be disappointed if our players lifted for one game more than they did for another," Scott said on Tuesday.

"I think it adds to the theatre of it, I expect you guys (in the media) to milk it for all it's worth and so you should.

"I think it's really good for the supporters, it gives them a little bit of extra interest.

"But internally I can't imagine it having any impact at all."

Scott said he would find it hard to empathise with any player who he sensed had an extra edge this week.

"If I start to pick up on that stuff, maybe I should get worried."

The Cats coach said personally, he was grateful that Thompson left him a club so well-placed for further success.

"No-one can deny that, irrespective of the way you feel about how he left, that he's done some amazing work at the footy club and should go down as a Geelong great."

Even if extra motivation is not a factor, the Bombers' wafer-thin hopes of an upset could sink even further at selection.

The Cats have Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly, Brad Ottens, Mathew Stokes, Josh Hunt and Nathan Vardy ready to return, although Scott said they might not all come back at once.

By contrast, the Bombers, who are on a five-game losing streak, have lost Jobe Watson (hamstring), Sam Lonergan (knee) and David Myers (hamstring).

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