Ottens to resume in the VFL

GEELONG'S premiership campaign has received a shot in the arm with news that important big man Brad Ottens is set to play in the VFL this weekend.

Ottens, 29, has not played since sustaining a medial ligament injury against Richmond in round two earlier this season.

The injury required corrective surgery that was initially set to sideline him for between two and four weeks, but the ruckman has suffered a series of setbacks, including another trip to the surgeon, which threatened to derail his entire season.

However, Ottens has made steady progress in recent weeks and has been named in the Geelong VFL side to face Casey at Skilled Stadium on Saturday ahead of the Cats' round 18 AFL clash with Adelaide.

The club has obviously been buoyed by the news, but the big man must clear one last hurdle before resuming.

"Brad trained well this week and if everything goes okay at training on Friday we will play him for a period of the VFL game," football manager Neil Balme told geelongcats.com.au on Thursday.

If he passes that last test, Ottens will be playing his first VFL match for the Cats having only played 10 reserves games in his career – all with former club Richmond.

Ottens wretched 2009 campaign follows another tale of woe in 2008 when he missed the opening nine rounds of the season before going straight into the senior line-up.

Ottens has played 206 games since debuting in 1998 and he has kicked 236 goals.