Mercurial Geelong forward Dan Menzel has been ruled out of Friday night's vital clash with Greater Western Sydney after suffering a reaction designed to alleviate a niggling groin injury.
Cats' coach Chris Scott said it was hard to believe the bad luck given Menzel was merely rested from the previous game against the Sydney Swans after a solid start to the year in an attempt to help him get over the groin problems that have affected him at times in the past 18 months.
Dan Menzel had a bad reaction to an injection.
Photo: AAP
"He had an injection that he had a reaction to which has meant he has not been able to train this week," Scott said.
"Potentially those things are really serious I am told, so tests were undertaken to make sure there was no infection and that was the case.
"They expect it to turn around quickly but just not quick enough to play this week."
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The Cats will welcome back Scott Selwood, provided he gets through training, after he missed last week through concussion while they will wait until the last minute before making a decision on George Horlin-Smith, who suffered concussion against the Sydney Swans.
Dynamic youngster Brandan Parfitt will also miss another week with foot soreness that flared at training last week but they hope he will return to play the Magpies in round eight.
The Cats were not prepared to be definitive about whether Gary Ablett was ready to return after missing the past two weeks with a hamstring injury.
Scott said the champion midfielder had not been ruled out but the Cats were going to take a conservative approach with Ablett given he has suffered two minor hamstring strains already this season.
In better news for the Cats, key defender Harry Taylor could be available to play next week after resuming training today.
Scott said Taylor would train uninhibited, which put him in line for selection next week although he may return via the VFL.
Patrick Dangerfield is also certain to play despite an interrupted start to the season with back, hamstring and calf niggles causing him soreness at times.
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Peter Ryan joined The Age in 2017 having covered AFL as a senior reporter with AFL Media.
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