A bruised heel could throw a spanner in Essendon's AFL finals aspirations, with captain Matthew Lloyd unlikely to play in Sunday's crucial clash against West Coast at Subiaco.

Lloyd was forced from the field in the third quarter of Sunday's loss to Richmond at the MCG, a result that left the Bombers among three sides vying for eighth spot.

Essendon coach Matthew Knights said Lloyd, who went scoreless against the Tigers, was in "grave doubt" to face the Eagles - a game they must win to retain eighth spot given Hawthorn (ninth) and Port Adelaide (10th) play each other on Sunday.

The Bombers will be keen to be cautious with Lloyd's injury, given his importance at full-forward and knowing how much Carlton's Brendan Fevola was hampered by a similar problem at the start of the season.

Geelong expect to be without key defenders Matthew Scarlett and Harry Taylor for Saturday's game against Adelaide, but are hopeful they both avoided serious injury.

Scarlett and Taylor sat out the second half of last Saturday's comeback win over Hawthorn because of groin injuries.

But Cats coach Mark Thompson said on Sunday Taylor was likely to miss just the clash with the Crows, while Scarlett could be sidelined for two games.

"But they're not serious injuries, they heal pretty quickly," Thompson told radio station Triple M.

The Cats still have several key players to return from injury, as forward Steve Johnson (hip) is expected back against Adelaide, while captain Tom Harley (knee) and midfielder James Kelly (hamstring) are also close to returns.

The Western Bulldogs will also be without two key players in round 18, but at the other end of the ground, as forwards Shaun Higgins and Robert Murphy both suffered hamstring injuries in Saturday night's loss to St Kilda.

Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade said on Sunday Murphy would most likely miss just one game, but Higgins would miss the next two.

The Doggies play lowly Fremantle and West Coast in their next two games, both at Etihad Stadium, before a difficult run-home before the finals.

Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell has avoided discussing the mystery injury his coach Mick Malthouse alluded to after Friday night's win over Carlton.

Malthouse praised Maxwell for his brave effort to play, but the defender dismissed the injury on Sunday as "nothing serious".

Maxwell was sporting a black eye when he appeared on the Seven Network on Sunday and was asked if he had suffered a fractured cheekbone and eye socket during the round 16 defeat to Hawthorn.

But he said the injury would not prevent him playing Brisbane on Saturday night at the MCG.

"Everyone plays with injuries, there's different injuries here and there, some guys can play with them and some struggle," he said.

"I'll be right for the weekend so there's nothing to worry about."

Fremantle fear youngster Tim Ruffles might be out of football for a year after he suffered a suspected ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in Saturday's derby win over West Coast.

Ruffles booted a vital goal late in the game, but was carried off on a stretcher soon after when his left knee buckled as he ran in to contest a ball-up in the centre square.

The Lions are sweating on the fitness of Tom Collier, who suffered a knee injury in Saturday night's win over North Melbourne.

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