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To protect the integrity of the competition, the VFL does not allow players unqualified for VFL finals to play in its Sunday grand final should the Cats be eliminated from the AFL the previous day.

If Geelong's AFL team wins there will be no restriction on VFL team selection.

But should it lose, then the VFL team will be restricted to 12 AFL-listed players, who would have to be finals qualified (at least seven VFL games and no more than 12 AFL games this season).

"This rule has been in place since 2004, It is not a Geelong-specific rule, it is a competition rule," VFL general manager Martin Stillman said.

Geelong coach Leigh Tudor is anxious not to get ahead of himself but is merely pointing out what could become a difficult selection process.

"The biggest difference is that when the AFL plays and, when we play on same day, we can play anybody who doesn't get a game in the AFL," Tudor said.

"Our first final is the last AFL home-and-away game so (that weekend) we can play whoever doesn't get a game.

"But if we win our first final and we have a bye, and then the AFL team has a bye, we come back to the 12-10 rule (for the VFL preliminary final).

"A big concern would be preliminary-final weekend for the AFL if we play in the grand final.

"We might not be going to know until 10.30 (the night before) what team to select."

Tudor said the Cats had players on their supplementary list who could be involved in country grand finals on AFL preliminary final Saturday.

"We can't tell players don't play local grand finals in case Geelong (AFL) loses," he said.

"So that is where it could be tough, the biggest game of the year and picking our side at 5.30 or 10.30 at night.

"We would have to use the guys that aren't playing in local finals."

Tudor said several of his VFL players could be involved in country finals, which meant a few lesser lights who had played only a couple of games during the year might be required.

Geelong's injury list is not too long, with Kane Tenace, Nathan Djerrkura and Brent Prismall likely to be available next round.

Stephen Owen, who usually gets the opposition's best small forward, is out for the season with a serious knee injury.

"We are a bit more balanced. We are still tall but our talls can play back and forward, so we have a bit more flexibility," Tudor said.

"Last week our first half was excellent against North Ballarat. In the second half they were far more competitive.

"Josh Hunt had a sensational first half.

"Tim Callan is having a year where he has been in the best three 12 or 13 times, he has just been awesome for us this year.

"We have played two of our better games for the year in the last couple of weeks."

Midfielder Phil Read is recovering from a cut foot but should be available soon.

Read, best on the ground for Sandringham against Geelong in last year's grand final, transferred to the Cats this season but travelled overseas mid-season.

Sandy still heads the ladder but, with so many long-term injuries suffered by its AFL affiliate Melbourne, will be fielding a far less experienced team in the finals despite its reliable VFL core.