Cat Stanley raring for key Hickey match-up

"My wife said to me, 'I had a little panic before the game, I thought "what's going on here?",' and then they figured out it was a Photoshop thing," Stanley told reporters. 

"As I'm warming up, there was a message that went through back to the wife that said, 'No, no, no, he's definitely playing - I'm watching him warm up and kick goals, so I'm pretty sure he's playing'. 

"I only heard about it after the game, I thought it was quite funny."

Stanley will hope things are a bit more normal in the lead-up to taking on his good friend and former teammate, Sydney ruck Tom Hickey, in Saturday's grand final at the MCG.

The pair played together at St Kilda in 2013 and 2014.

"I love playing against Tommy. He's a great guy and we've got a great relationship," Stanley said. 

"There actually is a good bit of banter on the field, which is good fun every time I play against Tommy. 

"I'm really looking forward to the battle. He's playing some great footy.

"He is (ungainly). He's got some tricks. He's got some stuff that you've got to be careful of."

The at-times maligned Stanley has had to deal with the scrutiny of holding down Geelong's top ruck role - often pointed to as a weakness in their premiership pushes over the past decade.

But he is adamant he does not feel the pressure and cites the long-term backing of coach Chris Scott, with help from Nigel Lappin, for keeping him focused.

Now 31, the "pain in the arse" hamstring injuries that stopped Stanley trusting his body in his younger years are well and truly in the past.

The player is also reaping the rewards of simplifying his on-field focus.

"Over the last year or two it's (been about), 'What can I do for the fella next to me, rather than myself'," he said.

"At the moment it's more about, 'Righto, what can I do to let Paddy (Dangerfield) have a good game, and what can I do to let those guys do what they do?'. 

"That has worked really well this year."