Three key Geelong players have fallen ill ahead of Friday's big AFL match against Carlton.

The Cats are keeping a close eye on Brad Ottens, Joel Selwood and Jimmy Bartel as they try to overcome a bout of flu.

The Cats thrashed the Western Bulldogs last Saturday night and the Bulldogs have also been hit hard by illness over the last couple of weeks.

The Cats are likely to make at least a couple of changes this week regardless of whether those three players are declared healthy for the Carlton game.

Key defender Harry Taylor is certain to return from injury and coach Mark Thompson is confident that midfielder Joel Corey will also be ready for a recall.

Defender Tom Lonergan must pass a fitness test and captain Cameron Ling is likely to have another week off as he recovers from a hamstring injury.

Thompson said forward Max Rooke is running out of time before the finals as he tries to recover from a long-term knee injury.

But the Cats are investigating some form of scratch match program over the next few weeks because their VFL side will end their season this weekend.

Thompson said it is important that players on the fringe of senior selections can have some form of match practice during the final series in case they are needed.

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