Patrick Dangerfield has revealed he will likely need to take a break in the coming weeks to manage a troublesome adductor injury, as Geelong face a delicate balancing act between preserving their captain and maintaining their finals push.

The Cats skipper, who battled through obvious discomfort in Friday night’s statement victory over Melbourne after an incident just before half-time, said he would undergo further medical assessment after feeling the problem worsen during the match.

“I’ll see the doctor Monday and see where it’s at,” Dangerfield told The Age after the Cats’ 18.9 (117) to 14.13 (97) win.

The veteran admitted that, ideally, he would be afforded time to rest the injury, but said Geelong’s injury list and precarious ladder position meant that decision would not be straightforward.

“In an ideal scenario there’d probably be time for rest, but we’ve just had injuries at the wrong time. We’ve just got to find a way,” he said.