GEELONG captain Cameron Ling has told a huge crowd at Crown Casino that he hasn't given up hope of shaking his hamstring problems to be ready for St Kilda in round one.

Ling won't line up in the Cats' final NAB Challenge game against Carlton at Visy Park on Saturday, but he's aiming to play for the club's VFL team in a practice match in the week before Geelong's season opener against the Saints.

"It's [the hamstring] feeling very good," Ling told more than 700 people at the Cats' season launch on Wednesday night.

"I did a big session today and a big session on Monday. I'm ticking a lot of boxes.

"I probably want to get a game under my belt before I'll be right to go in round one and that's not going to happen this week.

"I'm going to be pushing to have a game when the rest of the boys have the weekend off. After that Scotty [Chris Scott] might hopefully pick me for round one."

Ling has strained the same hamstring twice during the pre-season and is adamant he doesn't want to run out against St Kilda unless he is 100 percent fit.

"We won't rush it," the 30-year-old said. "If I'm not quite ready to go then I won't play in round one and I'll be perfect for round two."

If Ling does line up in the VFL practice game on the weekend of March 19-20, he is likely to be joined in the team by James Podsiadly, who is recovering well after breaking his hand in the opening round of the NAB Cup.

Podsiadly has been training with a glove on and the club is refusing to rule him out of calculations for round one.