GEELONG veteran James Kelly is expected to be released from hospital soon after surgery to repair his ruptured testicle was deemed successful.

Kelly suffered the unusual injury when he landed heavily after marking in the third quarter of the Cats' win over Richmond at the MCG.

The 31-year-old, three-time premiership player was promptly substituted out of the game and taken to hospital in an ambulance.

Geelong's general manager of football Steve Hocking, who suffered a similar injury while playing for the Cats in the 1989 grand final, revealed on Sunday morning that the operation at Melbourne's Epworth Hospital had gone well.

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"It was obviously a very painful injury for James and the doctors made the decision to surgically repair the testicle last night," Hocking told the club website.

"All reports from the surgeon was that the operation was successful and now we will continue to monitor James over the coming days. Right now James' comfort and wellbeing is our sole focus."

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The injury was one of the few drawbacks in Geelong's nine-point win over a fast-finishing Richmond, just their second victory this season.

The Cats led by 32 points midway through the final term before the Tigers made a late but futile dash for victory.

The win leaves Geelong better placed at 2-3 after five rounds, and it was the influence of its key position players at both ends of the ground that did plenty of damage.

In attack Tom Hawkins kicked three goals but set up plenty of other opportunities with deft touches and handballs, while the defensive trio of Harry Taylor, Jared Rivers and Tom Lonergan proved difficult for the Tigers to counter.

Scott said after the club's difficult start to the year – it has lost to premiership contenders Fremantle, Hawthorn and North Melbourne – he expected his side to improve.

He acknowledged the Geelong team is not the same one that has won three premierships in its golden era, but was confident about what lies ahead. 

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"[After] the first month or so of footy, we're behind some of the best teams, there's no doubt. But I'm not even exactly sure who some of the best teams are going to be at the end of the season," Scott said.

"We know Hawthorn, Port Adelaide, Sydney and Freo are good sides, but I reckon there's a big bunch of them behind them coming at them, and you can probably throw North into that mix as well. I'm not sure where we sit, but that's the exciting part.

"There's less certainty when you go to watch the Cats play, and we're working to give (our supporters) a little more certainty. It's different, but we're on a course that we're pretty confident in. But we're well aware of how good the competition is."

Scott praised the game of midfielder Mitch Duncan, who starred with 29 disposals and two goals, and conceded the Cats may have "erred" in pushing him out of midfield roles in recent weeks.

Forward Mitch Clark, who missed the clash with a sore foot, is likely to return for the Cats for next Friday night's match against Collingwood.