CARLTON coach Michael Voss is satisfied the under-fire MCG playing surface is safe, despite Sam Docherty revealing his fears about the turf before last week's AFL season-opener.

The Blues take on reigning premier Geelong at the home of football on Thursday night, with rumblings continuing around the state of the ground.

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Cats defender Tom Stewart sustained a knee injury when he slipped on the surface last week and will miss the blockbuster clash.

"When the question's asked we have to then go back and do our own due diligence and just make sure that it's right to go, but we felt like it was pretty sound when we played last week," Voss told reporters on Wednesday.

"We follow it up and we're happy with the state of the ground and the reports that we're getting back, so it's 'play on' as far as we're concerned."

Docherty, who missed the 2018 and 2019 seasons because of ACL ruptures, said he was "extremely nervous" about playing at the MCG in round one.

The experienced defender's anxiety stemmed from his pre-match inspection of the playing surface, about half of which was relaid this month following two Ed Sheeran concerts.

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Docherty said he wasn't surprised to see Stewart go down injured, noting a difference between the "hard" new turf and "soft" old grass.

"They're all conversations that we put in the mix," Voss said.

"If we've got players that have expressed some concern around that, there's obviously some individual conversation but then we need to follow it up.

"He (Docherty) is happy with the state of it and where we need to go next with it.

"What we need to do now is just focus on the game that we've got in front of us.

"There's no better place than the MCG in the world, so we're looking forward to the contest."

Following Stewart's injury, and a similar scare for young defender Sam De Koning, Geelong coach Chris Scott's said venue operator the MCC scored an "own goal" with its management of the ground.

Scott dialled back his commentary on Wednesday but said the Cats' hands were tied regardless of their thoughts on the surface.

"We have no choice but to trust the people charged with making that decision, and I don't want to get involved in it at all," Scott said.

"I'm confident that a week later it will be even better.

"At its best, it's the greatest place in the world to play footy, so we wouldn't pass up that chance."