Steve Johnson has given the strongest indication yet that he is ready to return from his right foot injury and take on Hawthorn in Friday night's qualifying final at the MCG.
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The veteran Geelong playmaker has not played since round 20 after injuring his foot at training on August 11, but is back running and has set his sights on Friday.
"It's feeling all right. I had a light run this morning, which is the first time I've been on my feet in about three weeks. Felt fine, and hopefully I'll build up throughout the week," Johnson told Geelong's website on Monday.
"It's a big possibility (that I will play). I'm really hopeful that I'll be right by Friday night after today's session. We'll just have to wait and see how I feel tomorrow and after the main training session on Wednesday so all things going well I'll get through that, pull up well on Thursday and be selected to play Friday night."
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson had earlier said he expected Johnson to play.
Defeated by the Hawks a fortnight ago, the Cats will enter the game as underdogs, but Johnson said his team had tremendous self-belief built on the back of a strong final nine rounds of the season, in which Hawthorn was the only team to beat them.
"The plan all along was to finish top four and give ourselves the chance to contend for another premiership and I think we've well and truly done that. The guys are playing with some real confidence, especially towards the back end of the year."
"I know the boys just can't wait to get out there."
