GEELONG'S premiership aspirations may hinge on one glaring concern, with Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd declaring the Cats' ruck stocks could be their undoing in September.

While Mitch Edwards has shown plenty in his first season as Geelong's No.1 ruck, Lloyd believes the youngster is not yet equipped to go toe-to-toe with the competition's elite big men.

Speaking on AFL.com.au's Access, Lloyd pointed to North Melbourne's dominance at clearances and warned the challenge will only become tougher against the heavyweight contenders awaiting in finals.

"He's a couple of pre-seasons away from mixing it with these guys," Lloyd said.

"But this is the six ruckmen going into the finals series ... (Luke) Jackson, his team's top, (Brodie) Grundy two, (Sam) Draper third, (Lloyd) Meek fourth ... (Max) Gawn's a superstar.

"Edwards has to come up against these guys and that's why I think (Geelong will) fall short again this year because in clearance they were dominated on the weekend.

"Looks at some of (Tristan) Xerri's plays ... they scored 9.5 (59) to 4.3 (27) from (clearances) and it took a system-based Geelong to heap the pressure on North and North capitulated, but (Edwards) does concern me.

"(Mark) Blicavs had to come in and save the day."

Veteran Blicavs, who has filled just about every role for the Cats across his 313-game career, kicked an equal career-high three goals against the Roos, while he also had 18 disposals, five clearances and six score involvements.

The 35-year-old's shift into the ruck during the second quarter helped swing the contest back in Geelong's favour after North got out to a 39-point lead.

Access host Damian Barrett shared similar concerns, arguing Geelong's search for a top-line ruck has been the club's Achilles heel for some time.

The Cats chased St Kilda ruck Rowan Marshall hard in last year's Trade Period after Tom De Koning's arrival at Moorabbin via free agency, but the deal didn't eventuate and Marshall remained a Saint.

The Cats made an early offer of pick No.19 in exchange for Marshall and there was talk about future picks changing hands, however, the Saints decided they did not want to let Marshall go.

"It's been a theme for the Geelong footy club for some years now, and their pursuit of Rowan Marshall in the past two seasons and failing to get him," Barrett said.

"I think they've got a really good young emerging ruck by the name of Mitch Edwards on their list.

"But (he) struggled against the bigger body of Tristan Xerri on the weekend, and then you line him up against the teams also in the top six, it remains a continual lack of quality unfortunately for the Cats when they go into a finals series.

"The 'break glass in emergency' Mark Blicavs ... he got them over the line in the end, but is that going to stack up in the finals?"