Jumping Jack Hawkins doesn't know if his boy Tom "the Tomahawk" will hold his spot for Geelong's AFL cut-throat semi-final against Fremantle on Friday night.

But he does know there's no point worrying about it.

Cats coach Mark Thompson has hinted James Podsiadly will return to the side from suspension, which presumably leaves back-up ruckman Mark Blake and ruck/forward Tom Hawkins under pressure.

But Tom's dad was more worried about goings-on at the farm.

"I did go to a ram sale, but I was unsuccessful. They were a bit dear," Jack told AAP from his farm in Finley, NSW.

"There's always going to be debate (over selection).

"That's up to the club. They know best.

"They constantly speculate about it (selection) but coaches won't have changed their mind from a month ago.

"The press speculate on all these selection options. I suppose the public want to read about it."

Tom, 22, failed to kick a goal in Geelong's four-point loss to St Kilda in last week's soggy qualifying final at the MCG.

It has been a tough year for the family who met with the club mid-season when Tom's foot injury threatened his 2010 campaign.

It was feared Tom was facing a similar fate to ex-Cat Matthew Egan, whose career was cut short by a foot injury.

"We were involved (in a meeting) with the medical staff, just because we wanted to make sure that his interests were being looked after - and they are," Jack told the Geelong Advertiser in June.

"The medical people are moving forward with caution."

Tom was injured in round 10 and returned in round 18, not missing a game since.

"Tom wasn't far off having a good game last week. He got the ball in good positions and had the chance to kick three goals," said Jack, the former high-flying half-back who played 182 games.

Jack says the 197cm, 101kg Tom tries to use his massive frame for the greater good.

"He tries to bring other people into the game, he protects players," Hawkins said.

"When he gets the footy, he uses it well."

Jack, whose time at Kardinia Park included preliminary-final defeats in 1980 and 1981, has already had the joy of watching his son play in a premiership side in 2009.

And Jack can't see any dramas with the Cats going back to back, despite their setback against the Saints.

"If they can have a good win this week, I can't see any problems," Hawkins said.

"We're in the same boat as St Kilda and Collingwood now. We've just got to win one extra game and that shouldn't be beyond us.

"I'm not nervous. I think they'll be right."

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