GEELONG has suffered a massive blow with gun midfielder Brandan Parfitt facing a stint on the sidelines after breaking his hand in the win over the Western Bulldogs on Friday night.
The 24-year-old has been one of the Cats' most consistent players this year, averaging 21 disposals and ranked 11th in the League for tackles.
Parfitt will undergo surgery later this week, but the Cats are expecting him to miss around a month.
"After assessment and consultation, Brandan will have surgery on his hand in the coming days to ensure the best recovery for him - short and long term," head of medical and conditioning services Harry Taylor said.
"Brandan’s status will be assessed post-surgery, however it is expected he will be unavailable for the short to medium term."
Star defender Tom Stewart has entered the League's concussion protocols, but might not miss any games due to the Cats' bye this weekend.
Stewart suffered the injury early in the second quarter after trying to tackle Bailey Smith.
Patrick Dangerfield is expected to be available to face West Coast next Friday night after taking time out to manage a calf injury, while Sam Menegola is also pushing to be available for his first senior game of the season.
After an injury-riddled start to the season, Menegola returned in the VFL on the weekend and gathered 17 disposals and five clearances.
