Geelong coach Chris Scott rates Patrick Dangerfield only a 40 per cent chance of playing in Friday night's blockbuster against Adelaide.
However, the Cats superstar will make the trip with the team to Adelaide and will be given until the last minute to prove his fitness.
Dangerfield injured his left foot in a collision with Hawthorn captain Jarryd Roughead last Saturday.
Scott said he was prepared to wait as long as possible before a decision was made on the 27-year-old's availability, but he was not getting minute-by-minute updates on Dangerfield's progress.
He reiterated the club would take no risks.
"If there is any risk that he (Dangerfield) is going to compromise himself towards the end of the season, then it is unlikely he will play," Scott said.
Dangerfield put in a memorable performance last Saturday playing as a deep forward after suffering the foot injury, kicking 5.6 against the Hawks.
Scott said last year's Brownlow Medal winner had previously shown the damage he might cause playing as a deep forward and it was always an option for the Cats.
"In simple terms, that idea of keeping a really dangerous forward ahead of the ball makes a bit of sense. The more complicated part is that it does impact you in other parts of the game," Scott said.
Scott said the Crows' challenge would only grow larger if Dangerfield couldn't play, however the Cats would receive a boost in confidence if they managed to win without him in the team.
Tom Stewart will return after an operation to repair a fractured eye socket and Andrew Mackie will be back after missing last week with a wrist injury. Scott Selwood is also expected to return from a hamstring injury, but the Cats will not risk Nakia Cockatoo.
Geelong has a good recent record against the Crows, but Scott said any sense that the Cats had the wood over Adelaide was misguided.
"I don't subscribe to the theory that we have got a formula that works," he said.
"If they play as well as they possibly can and we are a bit off, we will get beaten comprehensively."
