WHILE the Cats will be without Steve Johnson for Saturday night’s blockbuster against the Hawks, they will likely be boosted by the return of Jimmy Bartel and Jordan Murdoch.

The duo missed last Friday night’s thrilling victory over Carlton with injury but appear likely to bolster the Cats for the crucial clash at the MCG.

"We're much more confident that they will play as compared to Johnson," Geelong Coach Chris Scott said.

Fresh from a week off after suffering from a corked thigh, Bartel will be a handy inclusion for the Cats if he were to return.

The Brownlow and North Smith Medallist fills a unique utility role for his side, with the ability to play in most positions on the ground.

But it is in his overhead marking and ability to rack up disposals at will in tense situations that the true value in his leadership lies.

Bartel was named among Geelong’s best in the Easter Monday win over the Hawks this year with 25 disposals, nine marks and six tackles.

The Hawks know the value of the triple premiership player and sought to stop his influence on the contest in last year’s Preliminary Final.

Alastair Clarkson successfully devised a plan to restrict Bartel to just 16 disposals in Hawthorn’s only win over Geelong since the 2008 Grand Final.

It was his equal third-lowest possession count against the Hawks in his career after managing just 10 touches in his debut season against them in 2002 and twice picking up 15 disposals in 2012.

Murdoch, although just 22 years of age is a vital inclusion for the Cats, with his pace having cuased major issues for the Hawks in the past.

With games between the Cats and Hawks usually going down to the wire, Murdoch has bobbed up in each of the four matches he’s played against the Hawks and made his presence felt on the scoreboard.

The young Cat has booted six goals against the Hawks, including three in the Round 15 victory last year, each of which came in the final term to sink the Hawks.

Murdoch has loads of pace and his ability to read the play and run into dangerous spots to impact the scoreboard is his biggest strength.