Daniel Menzel will spend just one weekend on the sidelines before returning for the clash with Greater Western Sydney at Simonds Stadium on June 4, according to Cats coach Chris Scott.

After featuring in each of Geelong's seven AFL games since round three, Menzel has been rested from this weekend's match against Carlton at Etihad Stadium.

"Dan's a little bit sore," Scott said at a press conference on Friday morning.

"We've been really clear right through Dan's recovery from four knee reconstructions that we would need to manage him carefully.

"So it's in part long-term planning and it's in part how he's feeling this particular week.

"We just thought that he wasn't quite good enough. So if we didn't [rest him] now we'd need to do it at some stage."

Scott said he wouldn't be reading too much into the team that Carlton named on Thursday night.

The Blues included Matthew Kreuzer and Levi Casboult in their 25-man squad, despite both suffering what appeared to be serious leg injuries in recent weeks.

"... they've picked two blokes who looked like they were going to be out for a couple of months," Scott said.

"It was interesting. It took the footy world a little bit by surprise, I think.

"But if there are guys under an injury cloud, we just assume they're going to play, and if they don't it's a bonus.

"[Kreuzer and Casboult] are both important structural players for them - a ruckman and a key forward.

"They will be better if those two play, no doubt, assuming they're fit and healthy. We're not trying to escape that reality.

"But we wouldn't shift our team one little bit whether they play or not."

Sunday's game will be Geelong's first at Etihad Stadium this season.

The Cats have a very impressive record against Carlton at the venue. In fact, they've won all of their 14 games against Carlton there.

But Scott isn't taking much notice of what's happened in the past.

"I'm not a big believer in going back 10 years and believing that it has an impact on the weekend's game," he said.

"But I guess it's better to be on that side of the ledger than the other."