The Cats are confident three key players will take part in the club’s remaining two NAB Challenge fixtures. 

Joel Selwood (leg), Steve Johnson (foot) and Rhys Stanley (leg) are all in line to play either this coming Thursday against Adelaide at Simonds Stadium or in the Cats final NAB Challenge clash with Carlton at Etihad Stadium on March 22.

The Cats are keen to get Selwood into the remaining games but are confident his conditioning will be up to scratch for the season proper.

Speaking to The Age, Cats general manager of football, Steve Hocking said Selwood would take on the Crows this week and Johnson and Stanley were pushing for the Blues clash.

"He (Selwood) just had a bit of soreness behind his knee but he has been OK. He has overcome it," Hocking said.

"He had done a lot work up until that point in time (of soreness). It is not a major concern. It will really just be about touch for him."

Whilst Stanley and Johnson aren’t expected to play against the Crows, the Blues clash may not be their only competitive hitout before round one.

"The other thing which is an advantage for us is that we have got our VFL practice matches starting as well. We have four games in and around those weekends leading into the season," he said.

"If there was another game required for those guys that have missed, we wouldn't hesitate in playing them in there to make sure they got enough game time under their belt before the start of the season."

In some good news for luckless forward Lincoln McCarthy, foot surgery completed during the week revealed a better than expected prognosis.

"Once they (surgeons) got in there, it was better than what showed up on the scans. That's why the medicos always say they don't treat (injuries) based on scans. It wasn't as bad as they initially thought. That's a great result for him," Hocking said.