Geelong is hopeful key defenders Matthew Scarlett and Harry Taylor have escaped serious injury but both are likely miss at least next Saturday's home game against Adelaide at Skilled Stadium.

Scarlett and Taylor both sat out the second half of Saturday's epic come-from-behind one-point win over Hawthorn at the MCG with groin soreness but the Cats are confident they caught the pair's respective injuries early, which will limit their time on the sidelines.

"Harry Taylor wanted to come back on at three-quarter-time so that is a good sign and Scarlo was pretty upbeat after the game so we don't think their injuries are too bad," Cats media manager Kevin Diggerson told Sportal on Sunday.

"We won't know for sure until they have scans but are hoping they might be only one to two weeks."

The loss of champion full-back Scarlett in particular would present a new challenge for the Cats, who have covered their injuries superbly all season, given the four-time All-Australian defender is one of the most durable players in the AFL having played at least 20 games every season since 2000.

The Cats face Adelaide and Carlton in the next fortnight but virtually have second spot sewn up given they now have a four-game break over the chasing pack with just five rounds remaining following the loss of the third-placed Western Bulldogs to unbeaten league leaders St Kilda on Saturday night.

But while Scarlett and Taylor are likely to sit out next week's clash with Adelaide, the Cats will be boosted by the return of four experienced players headlined by skipper Tom Harley and 2007 Norm Smith Medalist Steve Johnson.

Harley is set to return from a knee injury while Johnson - a late withdrawal with a hip injury just before the Round 14 epic match against St Kilda - will also return after missing the past four matches.

And experienced defender David Johnson (calf) and medium forward Ryan Gamble (hamstring) will also be available for selection against the Crows, giving the Cats plenty of options in terms of replacements for Taylor and Scarlett, although James Kelly (hamstring) and Brad Ottens (knee) still remain a couple of weeks away from returning to action.