BRAD Scott is refusing to sugar-coat the size of the challenge facing his North Melbourne side when it takes on Geelong at Skilled Stadium this Saturday.

While it was not uncommon in the pre-season to hear Kangaroos players talk of finals and their desire to challenge the top sides, it seems for Scott the time for talking is over.

He knows all too well his side will take on a Geelong side that under the coaching of his twin brother Chris is undefeated this year.

Against the Kangaroos the Cats will also attempt to stretch their winning streak at home to 25 and set a new League record for consecutive wins at one venue.

Sitting alongside Chris at a press conference at AFL House on Tuesday afternoon, Scott said he would not try to "sell belief" to his players in an effort to convince them they could compete with Geelong.

"After a while (players) start to see through you if you try and sell belief when the results aren't there," Scott said.

"Until we start to play footy that's good enough against good sides then I can try and con them into thinking they're good footballers but (ultimately) they've got to prove it and get some evidence for themselves."

That said, Scott was pleased at the improvement his players had shown in their win against Port Adelaide, saying some of the areas they had been working on at training had finally clicked, in particular their defensive pressure.

However, he was mindful a bigger test awaited against Geelong.

"We're going to get really tested against a genuinely good football side, particularly offensively. (The Cats are) very hard to stop down at Skilled Stadium when they've got the ball in their hands," he said.

"But the challenge against Geelong has always been (that) you can only hold them out for so long. They have so many talented players across all lines that it's a bit like trying to hold up a dam wall.

"So we're going to need a really concerted 22-man effort on the weekend to be competitive against them."
 
Scott said forward Lachie Hansen, who injured his lower back when he crashed headfirst into Etihad Stadium's fence on Saturday, had jogged laps at Aegis Park on Wednesday morning and had not been ruled out of Saturday's game.

However, while Hansen had declared himself a "certain starter, Scott was more circumspect saying the decision would be left to the club's medical staff.

If Hansen was ruled out, Scott said Ben McKinley or Cameron Pedersen were the most likely replacements.