GEELONG expects premiership ruckman Brad Ottens to return to the side in round eight, after confirming the foot he injured in the pre-season is finally on the mend.
Ottens, 28, had scans on Monday that revealed the plantar fascia problem that has prevented him from playing this season is getting better, with the Cats believing he could be back within three weeks.
"The results of the scans showed the foot was healing really well," assistant football operations manager Steve Hocking said in the Herald Sun.
"When it was initially diagnosed, the medicos said it was a four to six-week injury and it is six weeks on Thursday so we're exactly where we want to be."
The Cats will resist temptation to run Ottens against the Brisbane Lions this Saturday at Skilled Stadium, and will instead take advantage of the Hall of Fame tribute match weekend to give him another fortnight off.
"With the bye it gives us an opportunity to get more work into him, so then he will be right to play against Richmond," Hocking said.
The big ruckman partially tore the plantar fascia in the pre-season, before completely severing the tendon at training a fortnight ago.
A total tear is actually sometimes less of a hindrance than a partial, according to Hocking.
"It fully snapped while he was running at training and when that happens, it frees the foot up," he said.
"He will build up his running in the next week because he has done an enormous amount of conditioning work, but it's just the football conditioning he needs."
Hocking also said it was "extremely unlikely" Ottens will return to the side through the VFL, which paves the way for the Cats' No.1 ruckman to make his first appearance for 2008 against his former side.
The Cats were also buoyed by Monday's news that skipper Tom Harley remains a chance to face the Lions, after escaping serious damage to the gluteal muscle he injured on Friday night against Fremantle.
"He's much better today and scans cleared him of any major damage," Hocking said.
"We think he is still a chance to play this weekend."
