Geelong gun midfielder Jimmy Bartel is in hospital after a heavy knock caused some disturbing symptoms, including numbness, but the Cats are confident he sustained no serious injury.

The Cats were uncertain exactly how Bartel - high among Brownlow Medal favourites after racking up the second-most disposals in the AFL over the first 12 rounds - sustained the injury.

Football operations manager Neil Balme said it was believed a knock to the head was responsible, but even the player himself was not sure.

He initially returned to the ground with his right arm strapped, after feeling pain there, but then took a turn for the worse and had to be stretchered from the arena and rushed to hospital.

"He had a whack in the head and we still haven't seen the incident ourselves, we're not quite sure how, whether he landed on his head or whether somebody ran into him we're not sure," Balme said.

"It was a bit of a delayed onset, he was okay and then all of a sudden when he was off, he was feeling very ordinary.

"He was worried - neck, head, the whole thing and numbness in some of his limbs - so everyone was very concerned, that's why we rushed him off to hospital."

Balme said it was suspected the numbness in his arm was a flow-on effect from a hit to the head.

Scans found no serious injuries and the Cats were hopeful he would be fit to play in next weekend's match against Essendon.

"He's all clear, fine, he'll be in hospital overnight, but we expect him to be 100 per cent," Balme said.

"Whether he plays next week or not is another thing, if he comes up, but there's nothing serious."

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