Jared Rivers and Zac Bates have been named in the VFL Cats' 27-man squad to take on bottom-placed Frankston this Sunday.

Rivers will return to football after being sidelined for two weeks with a knee injury suffered in the AFL side’s loss to North Melbourne in round 15.

Bates will also be back after being managed last week. The 20-year-old had played seven consecutive VFL games since his return from a long-term hamstring injury in round 7.

Rivers and Bates will be welcome returns as the VFL Cats lose a number of other AFL-listed players this weekend.

Nakia Cockatoo has been named in the AFL team to take on the Brisbane Lions on Saturday, while Jed Bews will be managed this weekend, and Sam Blease (concussion) and Tom Read (illness) will also miss.

VFL listed player Matt Farrelly will play his 50^th VFL game this weekend. After two seasons and 36 games with the Bendigo Gold, 22-year-old Farrelly made the move to the Cats at the beginning of this season and has played every game so far.

The last time the two sides met was round 17, 2014 at Frankston Oval. The Cats were victorious by 61 points, 19.20.134 to Frankston 10.13.73.

Head-to-head, Geelong has won 15 of their 19 encounters.

CATS VFL TEAM

B: Ruggles, Robinson, Cunico

HB: Sheringham, Rivers, Jansen

C: Gore, Stokes, Menzel

HF: Luxford, Lucey, Farrelly

F: Bates, Vardy, Paliouras

R: Simpson, Horlin-Smith, Cowan

I/C: Tudor, Maas, Sherman, McFarlane, Burchell, Rees, Atkins, Haintz, Dixon (23^rd player)

VFL Round 16

Frankston Dolphins v Geelong Cats

2.00pm, Sunday 2^nd August

Frankston Oval, Plowman Place, Frankston

Follow @GeelongVFL on twitter for live updates

VFL Admission Prices

Geelong Cats members $5

Adults $10

Concession $5

Children under 15 FREE