Retiring Geelong veteran Cameron Mooney expects other Cats' AFL premiership stars to join him in making this their farewell season.

The 31-year-old forward's announcement that his career would end when the Cats' finals campaign does was no surprise, given his struggle to play through a chronic knee injury this year.

More intriguing was the three-time premiership player's prediction that he would not be the only Cat chasing one last flag to end his career.

"I think there's maybe a couple of boys that might be doing this in a couple of weeks as well," Mooney said of his retirement announcement.

"So it would be nice if a few of us went out with another one."

So far, the Cats have not suffered many significant losses from the group that delivered them three grand finals and two premierships from 2007-09.

Gary Ablett's defection to Gold Coast is an obvious exception, along with the retirement of dual premiership skipper Tom Harley, with Max Rooke the only other member of Geelong's 2009 flag side no longer at the club.

This post-season could be the one that bites the Cats' list most deeply.

Defender Darren Milburn, the club's oldest and most-experienced player, at age 34 and with 291 games, is a potential retirement candidate.

Star fullback Matthew Scarlett, 32, and ruckman Brad Ottens, 31, are the next oldest, with Ottens in particular having been constantly in and out of the side through injury in the second half of this season.

Mooney has been restricted to just eight games so far this year and will miss Saturday's Skilled Stadium clash with Sydney through suspension.

He was devastated not to get a final chance to play in front of the Geelong crowd.

But he backed himself to play a significant role in the Cats' premiership bid, saying his body felt as good, since his AFL return in round 19, as it had in the past 18 months.

"I think my best is still very good enough," he said.

"Hopefully, I can produce that on the track, get another chance and then we'll see where it takes us."

His selection chances for the finals have been helped by the second-placed Cats ruling out 20-year-old big man Nathan Vardy for the rest of the season after hip surgery.

"His rehab won't be geared towards getting him back at all, because the season's gone for him," coach Chris Scott said.

But Scott said the Cats' playing stocks were otherwise strong.

Scarlett, Milburn, Tom Hawkins and Andrew Mackie, all of whom missed the club's most recent match, are fit to return.

Scott said Mooney at his best was in Geelong's top dozen players, but could not give him a selection guarantee.

"It's just such an unknown. I'd love to give you a definitive answer," the coach said.

"He's going to do everything he can. We're going to give him an opportunity at some stage I'm sure.

"But when it comes down to it, every person at the Geelong footy club will do the right thing for the team."

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