GEELONG will be boosted by the return of captain Patrick Dangerfield and key defender Esava Ratugolea for Friday night's fixture against Sydney at the SCG. 

Dangerfield trained with the main group at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday, following the win over Melbourne last Thursday night, and has been ticked off by the medical department to return. 

The 33-year-old hasn't played since he suffered a partially collapsed lung and cracked rib in the loss to Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval in round 14. 

Dangerfield was forced to drive eight hours home to Moggs Creek, rather than fly home with the team due to the nature of the injury, and missed the 15-point win over the Demons that kept the Cats level with the eighth-placed Adelaide. 

The Brownlow Medal winner has played only one game since round eight after he missed a month with a hamstring strain ahead of the bye.

Ratugolea hasn't featured since suffering a hamstring strain in the loss to Greater Western Sydney in round 11. 

The 24-year-old was close to playing against Melbourne, but the Cats opted to give the out-of-contract defender an extra week to recover. 

After trying to execute a trade to Port Adelaide last October, Ratugolea emerged as one of the in-form backmen in the competition across the first couple of months of 2023, after Chris Scott moved him from attack to defence over the summer. 

The Cats are preparing for another fight to keep Ratugolea and Scott is adamant the defender will stay put.

"As to how hard we fight for him – about as hard as last year. He's not going anywhere," Scott said.

"If I were Esava, I would take it as a compliment that other teams are interested and as a coach I certainly do.

"We've got players that other teams want."

Coleman medallist Jeremy Cameron won't face the Swans after entering the AFL's concussion protocols following a nasty collision with Gary Rohan last Thursday night. 

The Cats are hopeful he will be available for next Sunday's game against North Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium but won't rush the three-time All-Australian.

Dual club best and fairest winner Cam Guthrie is still at least a month away from returning from the toe injury that has derailed his season, but the midfielder will be out of a moonboot on Friday and start building up his fitness ahead of a potential finals campaign.

Guthrie hasn't featured since round six and was forced to undergo surgery to his left toe due to a lingering problem that first emerged in April. 

The Cats head to Sydney with the chance of returning to the top eight if they get the job done over the side they beat in last year's Grand Final.