GEELONG coach Mark Thompson says Brownlow Medal favourite Gary Ablett is “no chance” to play in Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash with the Western Bulldogs.

Thompson said while James Kelly should return to the Geelong side, All-Australian midfielders Cameron Ling (fractured cheekbone) and Ablett (ankle) were set to miss.

Ling had surgery earlier this week to repair his injury while there had been hope Ablett, who suffered ligament damage against Fremantle at the weekend, might be fit to take on the second-placed Bulldogs.

But Thompson shut the door on that idea on Tuesday afternoon.

“He’ll probably be in the moon boot or walking boot for another two days so there’s no chance he’ll play this week,” Thompson said.

“Lingy will miss between two and four [and] Gary will probably miss this week and we just don’t know how quick he’s going to heal from that.”

For those media who arrived early on Tuesday, the sight of Matthew Scarlett wrestling Cats fitness and conditioning manager Paul Haines on the Skilled Stadium turf dispelled rumours the star full-back was carrying any hamstring soreness.

Despite talk several of his side was nursing soreness or niggling injuries Thompson said, barring Ling and Ablett, he expected to be able to choose from close to a full squad.

“They’ll probably have a bit of a download tomorrow [Wednesday] night but they’ll still get out there and train and you’ll find that they’ll all play,” Thompson said.

“Kelly will be back, he should be right too if he gets through training.”

Thompson said Brent Prismall and Ryan Gamble were others in contention to come into the Geelong side for the blockbuster.

The Cats coach said the absence of Ling and Ablett would grant other players more prominent roles, which would only benefit his team in the long run.

“You’d love to get the have your best team available [but] it just doesn’t happen,” Thompson said.

“We’ve seen many a game where, in a final, where [a team has] had three or four players out and that might happen to us this year, so I think it’s a really good test and opportunity.

“There are some young players that will get games and that is a great opportunity for them.”

While the coach wasn’t playing up the importance of the clash, emphasising that it was just a home-and-away match, he said his team would be “doing its best” to win – and there would be no keeping aces up sleeves in the off chance the two teams meet again deep in September.

“We won’t keep anything behind,” he said.

“We’ll be making every attempt to win this game of footy like we do every week and whether that’s the same thing that happens in 10 weeks’ time, who knows?

“But we’ll be doing our best to win this week.”