You can smell it, can't you?

The days have grown longer and the flowers may be blooming, but these signifiers of Spring are all inconsequential to the footballing fanatic.

With the temperature rising, realistically and metaphorically, and the pretenders now separated from the contenders, it can only mean one thing - finals football.

Sure, in a standard season we would only be days away from a do or die clash in front of a packed house at the MCG, but 2020 has proven that tried and true recipes are not to be regarded.

Even though the frenetic home and away season has rounded the bend and passed the post, the job is still ahead of eight clubs in their hunt for the 'Covid Cup'.

With a week off before the season's after party begins, each of the octet of coaches who have received invitations still have chores to perform before the champagne corks can be cracked

From the eighth seed to there first, here are the 2020 premiership contender's โ€˜to do lists'.

4.
Geelong


In-between losses to Collingwood and Richmond, the Cats accumulated a 7-1 record and reached Phalaris levels of mercilessness. With an average of 78.5 points for per game and less than 43 against, they were firing at both ends of the ground.

As the former form team in the competition, Geelong will need to regroup after being taught a late season lesson by the competition's benchmark before being run close by a young Sydney outfit. Put simply, they need to quickly return their paw the accelerator pedal.

Apart from refocusing his troop's eyes back on the task at hand, the quandaries that face Chris Scott are several pronged.

The first of the pair may not seem like an issue at all, but how does the bearded Scott get all of his stars to return to the fold seamlessly?

The returning names are all obviously in the Cat's best twenty-two, still, including and excluding talent at this late stage of the year has the ability to derail progression. However, with many fringe players failing to fire a shot against the Tigers, the decisions ahead of the match committee has been made a whole lot easier.

Richmond's defense also highlighted the need for a secondary attacking target in hoops to deflect attention from Tom Hawkins. To borrow a term for the basketballing lexicon, Scott may look at playing 'small ball' with the two Garys (Ablett and Rohan) returning and Dangerfield in the forward arc. The 2016 Brownlow medalist's five second half scoring shots suggest that this is the most likely option.

On the other hand, he may head in the opposite direction and rotate Stanley and Ratugolea between centre bounces and the forward fifty. Oft-forgotten recruit Josh Jenkins could also be in line for a post season role.

Scott will also no doubt be spending time staring at the ceiling wondering whether to alter the game plan that was torn to shreds by the Tigers or just backing in the skill of his reinstated cavalry.

In accordance with these qualms, the painful memories attached to the tinkering with talent in last season's preliminary final will still be fresh in Scott's mind. With another year understanding his seasoned list, Geelong fans will be hopeful that a repeat of any urges, such as playing Mark Blicavs out of position with a lead on the board, aren't acted upon.

Unlike the Tigers and Eagles, the Cats haven't tasted the ultimate success since 2011 and with the flag-less Patrick Dangerfield leading the Mogs to the after party once more, a lack of desire is not a hurdle that needs hopping.