ALTHOUGH he didn't want to make a fussabout it, Kangaroos midfielder Brady Rawlings is clearly miffed at suggestionsthe Roos resorted to underhanded tactics in their 27-point loss to Geelong atthe weekend.

As coach Dean Laidley's main midfieldstopper, Rawlings had a tough time trying to keep a rein on runaway Brownlow Medalfavourite Gary Ablett last Sunday, but says he and his teammates simply gave asgood they got in a tough affair against a side the Roos may face in September.

"It's one of those things that oneteam's supporters think they are getting a rough deal and the other team thinksthey're the ones getting the bad deal," Rawlings said at training thisweek.

"I only normally retaliate and I'm notthe sort of bloke who will start things.

“They did a couple of things that made meretaliate and I saw red for a little bit and lost my cool for a split secondand cost the team at one stage with a reversed free kick.

"If someone does something that you'renot happy with it's natural you're going to retaliate, but you've just got tobe really careful when you do it. I just picked the wrong time and it cost theteam."

Despite being unhappy with the commentscoming out of the Geelongrooms after the game, Rawlings was full of praise for the way the Cats wentabout their business. He reserved his highest praise for Ablett, one of the fewplayers to get better of him over the past few years.

"I used to play on Gary a few years ago and he's definitelyimproved since then.

“The Geelongboys have got a bit of confidence in him so they tend to give him the ball atevery opportunity so it makes playing on him that much harder.

"He also wins a lot of his own ball,so he's one of the best receivers in the comp in that they always give it to him,but he's very good at winning his own ball.

"When you have that combination itmakes for a pretty damaging player. He can also go forward and kick goals, sothere's not much he can't do.

"It was a tough day and I tried myhardest, but he was just too good on the day."

Rather than dwelling on the past, Rawlingswas keen to look ahead to the club's next assignment, Saturday's clash against Carlton at the Dome.

And contrary to the suggestions by some AFLobservers, Rawlings dismissed any thoughts the Blues would be lying down inorder to gain access to the much talked about priority draft selection.

"You just have to look at how theyhave played over the past few weeks to know that they mean business.

"They have been pretty attacking andyou don't play like that if you aren't interested in winning.

"Their midfield likes a free-flowingand attacking sort of game style and they seemed to be in a bit of shoot-outwith Essendon last week so we have to be prepared to match them in that or toshut them down a bit.

"We know they'll be different to whatwe came up against earlier in the year and we'll need to be prepared foranything really."

As far as his season is concerned, Rawlingsdescribes his form as 'just consistently okay' but says he is gaining far moreenjoyment from the fact that the team is just one win away from cementing aspot in the eight.

"This time last year we were countingdown the weeks until we finished because we had no chance to make the finals,but this year it couldn't be more different.

"I haven't had this sort ofopportunity too often so you just have to make the most of it."