Geelong coach Mark Thompson is determined to field ruckman Brad Ottens for the first time this season in the AFL club's round 10 clash with Carlton.

The star big man has been kept out by a nagging foot injury, which was initially hoped to only sideline Ottens for one round, with the prolonged recovery testing the limits of Thompson's patience.

"We had a big blue with the doctors and the fitness staff trying to convince them to play him half a game of AFL (against Collingwood on Friday night) instead of an hour of training," Thompson said.

"What's the difference? They said there was a difference and they won again.

"There'll be no fight next week. I told them (fitness staff) not to injure him no matter what and he's playing next week, straight up."

Tagger Cameron Ling remains in doubt for Thursday night's match, after injuring his ankle against Richmond last round, with Thompson saying he would have to pass a fitness test.

But small forward Mathew Stokes will return from a one-match suspension.

Thompson said his players, who have won 27 of their past 28 games, including last year's grand final, would lift against the Magpies in front of an expected huge MCG crowd.

"Playing in front of big crowds and things like that puts another dimension on to it," he said.

"You don't often get the chance to play in front of 80,000 people so every time you do it takes you to another level and it certainly takes us as coaches to another level as well."

The two clubs' most recent meeting was last year's preliminary final, with the Cats sneaking home by five points in one of the games of the year.

Thompson said his players had been given a light week at training given they played in heavy rain against Richmond on Saturday.

He said with many of his players having played in the Hall of Fame match the previous weekend, they had already been showing signs of fatigue against the Tigers.

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