GEELONG captain Joel Selwood has backed all of the Cats' veterans to play on in 2016 and says they're still "hungry".

There has been plenty of debate about whether Corey Enright, Steve Johnson, James Kelly, Andrew Mackie, Mathew Stokes and Jimmy Bartel should play on, with the Cats set to make tough calls on a number of their premiership stars at the end of the season.

Stokes was dropped from the Cats' team to face the Giants in Canberra on Saturday.

Selwood acknowledged the difficulty of the decisions but he remains confident that those in charge will make the right decisions in regard to the balance of the list. 

Scott vows to treat veteran Cats with respect

"I'd like them all to play on. I've been involved with these players the whole time and they're very hungry (to keep playing)," Selwood said at Melbourne Airport on Friday.

"But there comes a stage where the footy club needs to move on and take a different course.

"Whatever will happen will happen and we'll back the guys in that are involved in that decision making."

The Geelong skipper will make his return from a one-game suspension for his 'chicken wing' tackle on North Melbourne's Sam Wright against Greater Western Sydney in Canberra on Saturday. 

Selwood sat in the coaches' box during last week's eight-point win over the Western Bulldogs and said he gained a new perspective for how the team was playing.

Josh Caddy and the returning Mitch Duncan stepped up in the midfield in Selwood's absence and coach Chris Scott flagged more time in the forward line for the Cats skipper.

Giants tagger Stephen Coniglio is likely to get a run-with role on Selwood and the Cats skipper expected to play a number of different roles at Manuka Oval.

"I'll have a height benefit on him this weekend, so I've got to take him to all parts of the ground where I can hopefully get a win over him, but more importantly play the best role for the side," Selwood said.

The 11th-placed Cats face a make-or-break clash against the Giants and are searching for a win to maintain contact with the top eight.

The Giants are seventh on the ladder and could move within striking distance of the top four with a win over the Cats.

So used to being a finals lock at this time of the year, Selwood said it was a different feeling for the team who have to battle to keep their season alive.

"It is different. It's a huge challenge. But we look at each game and our next game is our biggest game and that's what we'll be saying for the next six weeks," Selwood said.