GEELONG coach Chris Scott is confident that mercurial midfielder Steve Johnson will be fit enough to take on Hawthorn in Friday night's qualifying final at the MCG.
Johnson has been battling foot soreness in recent weeks, and he watched from the stands as the Cats defeated the Brisbane Lions by 62 points at Simonds Stadium on Saturday night.
"(His recovery is) still going to plan, and the plan revolves around him training this week and then playing on Friday night," Scott said after the win over the Lions.
"It's actually pretty simple. He's got a sore foot. If it's pain free and he trains, he plays.
"We don't have any reason to believe that won't happen. We're preparing for him to play."
Johnson will be tested during the Cats' main training session on Wednesday.
"He's had a really solid block of training going back to November, so we don't think fitness is an issue," Scott said.
"He's been able to do a bit of work cross-training. If he trains once for us, in the main session, that will be good enough from a coaching perspective for him to play."
Scott and his match committee face a number of selection headaches in the lead-up to the much-anticipated clash with the Hawks.
Which of the club's emerging tall forwards should line up alongside Tom Hawkins is among the most pressing of them.
With Shane Kersten sidelined by a minor hamstring problem, Mitch Brown and Josh Walker were recalled for the match against the Lions.
Brown finished with 15 disposals, five marks and a goal, while Walker, who spent a bit of time in the ruck, tallied 10 disposals, four marks and nine hit-outs.
"Walker took some really strong marks in the contest and Brown looked really dangerous up forward," Scott said.
"It's been a hard one for them through the year, because we have preferred Kersten at times.
"But they're well and truly in the frame to play in a final.
"Walker did some good work in the ruck as well. We know he's got that string to his bow.
"And Brown's just a smart player. We started off the season with him in our best 22, and he just had a series of small injuries that probably contributed to him not playing consistent AFL footy.
"But he's through all that now and has put together a really good block of form in the VFL and has played well again tonight."
Scott said Kersten should be available for the game against Hawthorn.
But with big man Hamish McIntosh certain to be recalled after being rested from the clash with the Lions, it is likely that only one of Kersten, Brown and Walker will take on the Hawks.
Allen Christensen and Steven Motlop are also certain to return after they were rested for the clash against the Lions.
"So we've got some decisions to make," Scott added.
The Cats will face the Hawks off the back of a six-day break, but Scott is adamant that it won't be an issue.
"We've planned around it, we're ready, we've got a good record off six-day breaks," he said.
"We think we've got a really good program in place for that. It's just not going to be an issue at all.
"We know that they're a fantastic opposition and their best footy's devastating. But we'll be ready."
Twitter: @AFL_AdamMcNicol
