After rounding out the home-and-away season with a 62-point win over Brisbane Lions on Saturday night, Scott was emboldened by the efforts of inclusions Mitch Brown and Josh Walker and said the Cats' coaching staff had plenty to ponder ahead of Friday night's qualifying final against familiar foe Hawthorn.

He also said Steve Johnson was on track to return from the foot injury that has kept him out of the last three games, without declaring the mercurial midfielder a certain starter against the Hawks.

"It's a bit simplistic to say we were one kick away from a grand final last year with Tom pretty lame, so this year that he's a dominant player that will make all the difference," Scott said.

"Our team is very different. We're more inexperienced again, and that's exciting for us. We have some players we know can play the footy that's good enough, but maybe the rest of the competition and even our supporters haven't seen it as consistently as they saw (Paul) Chapman and (Joel) Corey and Josh Hunt do it.

"We're still extremely, extremely positive, but we're a little uncertain ourselves, I guess. And when I say us, I reckon the players are very, very certain ... everyone else, we're sort of half guessing a little bit with (Josh) Caddy and (Allen) Christensen and (Mitch) Duncan and these guys, but I'm quietly confident that they will surprise on the upside."

They kicked only one goal each but Scott praised Walker's contested marking and Brown's danger as a smart forward, and said Shane Kersten was also expected to be available after recovering from a hamstring strain.

Hawkins added his support for small forward Lincoln McCarthy, who provided energy in the front half. "He's so dynamic, really exciting," Hawkins said of McCarthy.

"They were (all) brilliant tonight. Josh's contest work was great., Mitch Brown, not a lot of viewers see how hard he works. He's a really tough player to play on. It's going to be tough for the coaches this week."

Scott said Johnson's recovery from the soreness that has sidelined him for three games was going to plan, and if he completed the main training session this week without soreness he would play on Friday night.

"We don't have any reason to believe that won't happen, but if it doesn't then it will only be, we suspect, the one game that he misses, no danger of missing long term. But we're preparing for him to play."

He reiterated his belief that the Cats were better placed coming out of the round 22 defeat to Hawthorn than they were going into a game they led by 33 points in the third quarter before losing by 23.

"Our preparation's been really solid. We know they're a fantastic opposition and their best footy's devastating, but we'll be ready."

Hawkins would not expand on how much better he felt entering September than he did a year ago, when he had a back complaint. "I feel physically good, but more than anything I'm just more confident in what I'm able to do. I feel like I've got myself ready for a finals series."