GEELONG will leave VFL captain James Podsiadly out of its team for its final-round clash with Collingwood at Skilled Stadium on Saturday.
Last year's Liston Trophy winner missed last week's 82-point loss to Werribee with an ankle injury and the Cats will err on the side of caution with their spearhead this week to ensure he is right for their first final.
"He's not going to play. If it was a final this week he might have played, but we'll give him the extra week to get himself right for the finals," VFL football manager Ben Waller said.
The eighth-placed Cats are assured of a finals spot heading into the last round, despite last week's loss.
They climb to seventh if they beat the Magpies, who are also on nine wins for the season.
But it will be a tough task considering Collingwood has just one injured player on its entire AFL list, meaning it will field a team almost entirely of AFL-listed players.
Nathan Djerrkura is expected to return to the Cats' VFL team from a quad injury, while it will also regain either Shane Mumford or Mark Blake when one is dropped to make way for Brad Ottens' return to the senior team.
James Kelly (hamstring), who was close to playing in the VFL last week, is also a chance to play, but the Cats are likely to return him straight to the senior team, given there is just one week to go before finals.
