There might still be one game left before the SEABL play-offs begin, however Geelong Supercats coach Mark Leader is treating Saturday night’s match-up with East Conference pacesetters Brisbane as a final.

The Supercats can guarantee themselves a home South Conference elimination final on August 8 against Sandringham with a win over the Spartans.

They could still make it if they drop with the clash with Brisbane, but would need Hobart to roll the Sabres.

However that’s a scenario coach Leader is hoping to avoid.

“If we’re going to win finals, or play in that atmosphere, and we have them at home, we’ve got to win that game,” Leader said.

“That’s what it comes down to.”

Geelong tuned up for highly anticipated game against Brisbane with a comfortable 114-85 win on the road over Albury-Wodonga on Saturday night.

The Supercats opened up a 22 point break at half-time, but allowed the Bandits to creep back into the contest, with the margin getting back to seven points.

However Geelong rallied, and put the result beyond doubt with a 30-15 final quarter.

“(I was) very happy with everybody’s performance,” Leader said.

“(Especially) after (playing) Friday night and to be without Dan George, I thought everybody stepped up to get a really good win.”

Also pleasing for Leader was the Supercats ball security, making just 14 turnovers, half of the 28 in the win over the Australian Institute of Sport.

“I thought our execution on offence was very, very good,” he said.

“There were a couple of spates where we lost our way, but the guys really stuck to their structure.”

Nick Owusu top scored for the Supercats with 26 points in his best offensive contribution since the round three win over Ballarat.

Import duo Isma’il Muhammad (23 points) and Clifton Lee (20) continued their solid weekends.

However coach Leader reserved special praise for rarely sighted back-up big man Nick Van Der Klooster.

In only his seventh game of the season, and first since July 10, the veteran played just a tick under 21 minutes, scoring six points, but most importantly pulled down nine rebounds against Albury-Wodonga’s tall timber of Tony Ferris and New Zealand international Miles Pearce.

“Every time we’ve called him up to play he’s done a fantastic job, and tonight he did the same thing.”