Geelong coach Chris Scott insists his players aren’t arrogant but admits their actions have left them wide open to that accusation.

Discipline lapses by the reigning AFL premiers helped Fremantle down the Cats by four points at Patersons Stadium in Saturday night’s opening-round clash.

They also cost star defender Matthew Scarlett a three-game ban for punching Dockers antagonist Hayden Ballantyne, while fellow Cat James Kelly was reprimanded for striking.

Scott, who made himself part of the action by exchanging words with Ballantyne at the halftime break, said he could understand why observers were questioning the club’s mindset.

But he said the only worthwhile answer would come on Monday at the MCG, when the Cats seek to extend their seven-match winning streak against in-form Hawthorn.

“It’s something we need to address,” Scott told reporters on Tuesday.

“I don’t think that we’re arrogant, but we’ve certainly opened ourselves up to that perception.

“It doesn’t matter what I say now, that’s not going to change people’s view.

“The only way we can do that is by putting in a really good, hard and tough, but disciplined performance on Monday.”

Scott said he regretted engaging with Ballantyne, even though he maintained it was just a lighthearted conversation with a player he respected.

“He’s a really likeable guy off the field, I’m sure not many people in the AFL share that view at the moment, but it’s true, he’s a terrific young fella,” the Cats coach said.

“But unfortunately perception sometimes is reality and I opened myself up and the team opened themselves up to the perception of maybe arrogance, maybe selfishness, maybe taking our eyes off what was really important.

“We accept that and we’ll make sure that we change.”

Ballantyne will serve a two-game ban for his off-the-ball hit on Geelong’s Paul Chapman.

Scarlett will miss encounters with the Hawks, North Melbourne and Richmond.

Missing the Hawthorn clash will be the biggest concern, given the star-studded Hawks booted 20 goals to beat Collingwood on Friday night.

But Scott was confident in the Cats’ depth, saying youngsters Mitch Brown and Tom Gillies were obvious replacement candidates.

However, the Geelong coach said stemming the Hawks’ scoring capabilities was as much about hampering their precise ball movement across the ground as who the Cats had in defence.