Tom Hawkins has been a very durable player in recent years.

He has only missed one game in the last season and a half, and that was due to suspension after he copped a one-game ban for striking Greater Western Sydney defender Phil Davis.

Now, after featuring in each of the Cats' first 11 games this season, he is going to be sidelined by suspension once again, this time for his controversial jumper-punch on Adelaide midfielder Matt Crouch.

Ahead of next Thursday night's big clash with West Coast at Domain Stadium, the key question is this: How should Geelong structure its forward line in the absence of its spearhead.

Last season provides a guide as to the way the coaches' might go.

Hawkins' ban for striking Davis meant he missed the Cats' round 12 clash with North Melbourne on a Saturday night at Etihad Stadium.

On that occasion, the Cats used Rhys Stanley deep in attack, with Daniel Menzel and Shane Kersten as his key support staff.

Stanley had a relatively quiet night, but Menzel (four goals) and Kersten (three) were very effective as the Cats kicked a total of 15 goals and won by 31 points.

Although Kersten is these days plying his trade at Fremantle, the clash with the Roos last year might well yield some good clues as to how Chris Scott sets up his side in the absence of Hawkins this time around.

Could we see Stanley recalled from the VFL to form a forward-line trio with Harry Taylor and Menzel?

But there are also a couple of left-field options.

Could the Cats leave Stanley in the VFL and hand emerging key forward/ruckman Wylie Buzza an AFL debut instead?

Buzza has been in great form in the VFL and his inclusion would add an element of unpredictability to the Geelong set-up.

Or could the Cats leave both Stanley and Buzza in the VFL, bring in a smaller player, then use someone like Patrick Dangerfield up forward for a longer period of time than usual?

We'll have to wait until the team is named on Wednesday to find out the first part of the answer, but we want you to use the poll below to give us an idea of how the Hawkins-free forward line should look.