GEELONG is counting the cost of its mounting injury toll, with $2.5 million worth of talent sitting on the sidelines.

The Cats’ injury list swelled to 16 players yesterday when both Rhys Stanley (foot) and James Kelly (ankle) were ruled out in the short-term after incidents in Friday night’s win over Port Adelaide.

It has been revealed the club’s shocking run with injuries has blown the Cats’ budget by $250,000, placing further financial pressure on the club’s attempts to turn a profit.

Geelong not only has to pay the wages of those injured players, it also has to fork out for the additional payments of players selected to take their place.

“Our injury payments are about half a million dollars and we budgeted for about $300,000. The replacement players, who get paid on a match-by-match basis, they replace players who are on a base (wage), so that’s cost us nearly a quarter of a million dollars,” Geelong chief executive Brian Cook told the Geelong Advertiser.

The Cats boss admitted the club had an unusually high amount of players out with injury.

“But these things happen and there’s not much you can do about it,” Cook said.

media_camera James Kelly. Photo: Getty Images

“My experience in this area is clubs can usually plan on having $1 million of players not being available to play and I can assure you we’re double that at the moment,” Cook said.

“But the good thing is it’s giving kids opportunities and it’s a blessing in disguise at the moment.”

Only Dawson Simpson (shoulder), Billie Smedts (collarbone) and George Horlin-Smith (knee) are a chance to return this weekend, which would shave the injury list back to 13.

But it means Geelong will take on Melbourne this weekend without Jimmy Bartel (knee), Mitch Clark (calf), Mitch Duncan (foot), Hamish McIntosh (calf tendon), Josh Cowan (hamstring), Stanley or Kelly available.

Daniel Menzel (knee) is powering through full training but is still a few weeks away, while Nathan Vardy (knee) also faces a similar wait to return, adding to the millions of dollars of players on Geelong’s sidelines.

“That’s not a cash cost — we have to pay that money anyway,” Cook said.

“But in terms of what we’re paying over and above what we budgeted for, it’s about a quarter-of-a-million dollars on replacement players for those injured players.”

Menzel has been training with the main group for the past week.

media_camera Daniel Menzel.

“His hamstring (injury) is fully resolved, now we’re just finishing off his ACL rehab,” physio Mark Young told Cats TV.

“We need him to get plenty of (training) in over the next month and then he will come into consideration.”

Geelong is also spending more than anticipated on medical costs, although much of the damage is absorbed through each player’s private health insurance.

The club only has to pay the gap for surgeries, of which there have been many.

Vardy has had two arthroscopic procedures on his reconstructed knee this year, Bartel had medial ligament surgery and then a follow-up stint in hospital and youngster Jordan Cunico recently had knee surgery.

“Because of the extra surgeries we’ve had, we’re paying more than we expected and budgeted for,” Cook said.

“Our budget is under real pressure because of crowds, injury payments, all those things.”

Geelong recorded its first operating loss in 15 years last season. The $251,207 loss was attributed to a number of factors including a drop in home ground attendances, tighter economic climate and a drop in commercial profits.

The Cats have budgeted for a $823,000 profit this season.

INJURY LIST

Jimmy Bartel (knee) 2-3 weeks

James Kelly (ankle) 2-6 weeks

Josh Cowan (hamstring) 1-2 weeks

Mitch Clark (calf) 2 weeks

Jordan Cunico (knee) 5-6 weeks

Cameron Delaney (foot) indefinite

Mitch Duncan (foot) 6-8 weeks

Lincoln McCarthy (foot) indefinite

Hamish McIntosh (calf tendon) 1-3 weeks

Daniel Menzel (knee) 2-4 weeks

Rhys Stanley (foot) 3-6 weeks

Nathan Vardy (knee) 4-5 weeks

Dean Gore (shoulder) 2 weeks

Billie Smedts (collarbone) test

Dawson Simpson (shoulder) test

George Horlin-Smith (knee) test