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Geelong coach Chris Scott's former club Brisbane stands between him and another AFL premiership.
Sometimes there's no room for sentiment in the AFL.
Just ask Chris Scott, the two-time Brisbane premiership player who is chasing a second flag as coach of Geelong.
Scott's former club stands as a road block between the 44-year-old and his current dream in Saturday night's preliminary final at the Gabba.
"Ten or 20 years ago I never could have predicted that I'd be coaching Geelong against Brisbane in a prelim final with the potential for a grand final at the Gabba next week," Scott said.
"But I do try as much as I can in my life, not just my football life, to live in the moment.
"I just don't spend much time dwelling on the past."
But what a glorious past it was.
Scott played 215 games over 14 seasons with Brisbane, first with the Bears and then the Lions after the merger with Fitzroy.
He featured in the first two premierships as Brisbane won a famous hat-trick of flags from four consecutive grand final appearances under Leigh Matthews from 2001 to 2004.
"I'm proud of what Brisbane were able to achieve while I was there and I'll always have an interest," Scott said.
"I can compartmentalise well enough to take a step back and say what is going on in Queensland footy and with the Lions in particular I think is good for the game overall.
"Maybe one day in my life I'll leave a bit of room for nostalgia but I'm with the Cats and I'm in the moment right now."
The Gabba will be the first venue to host an AFL grand final outside Victoria after beating out Adelaide Oval and Perth's Optus Stadium for hosting rights.
Scott predicted it will be a fitting stage.
"There seemed to be a bit of talk that the atmosphere would be amazing in Adelaide and Perth, but I'm not sure any of those people were at the Gabba in the halcyon days, or even last year when the Lions were flying," Scott said.
"There is nothing wrong with the atmosphere there.
"In fact, it's up there with some of the games that I played in my career and I played in grand finals in front of big crowds at the MCG."
