JIMMY Bartel has backed Geelong utility Mark Blicavs to rise to the challenge of matching it with North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein in Friday night's semi-final at the MCG.

Cats coach Chris Scott revealed on Tuesday big man Hamish McIntosh was not available for the do-or-die clash with his former team because of knee soreness.

That leaves former steeplechase athlete and 44-gamer Blicavs to carry the ruck load along with 196cm forward Josh Walker, who has played 16 games.

"I don't think Blicavs has looked out of place wherever he's played for us on the field, whether it be wing, back or in the ruck, so hopefully he can more than match it with an excellent ruckman who rucks all day for them," Bartel said on Tuesday night at the AFLPA most valuable player awards in Melbourne.

"Hopefully Mark Blicavs and Josh Walker can really lift for us.

"They've been doing a pretty good job for us when they've gone in the ruck and hopefully they can make up for it – Goldstein is a great ruckman, though."

The Cats have no other rucking options with McIntosh out, having lost Dawson Simpson to back surgery in recent weeks and Nathan Vardy to a knee injury in the pre-season.

While Scott couldn't guarantee Steve Johnson would be right to face the Roos because of his on-going foot issue, Bartel felt more confident.

He said Johnson would consider himself "100 per cent" likely to play, given his love of finals and confidence in how he had recovered from the Cats' loss to Hawthorn last Friday night.

"He's a competitor. If anyone knows him, he'll do everything he can to get himself right, and I can't imagine he would be doing anything less than working his backside off to get himself right," Bartel said.

"I'd say knowing Stevie, he's 100 per cent [likely to play] – he's a confident guy and we hope he's right because he's an absolute star."

Geelong captain Joel Selwood took out the most courageous player award for the second consecutive year and placed second to Luke Hodge for best captain.