Carlton forward Harry McKay says he and teammate Charlie Curnow still lag behind Geelong's Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron as the AFL's best attacking duo.

Carlton forward Harry McKay studies Geelong's attacking tandem of Jeremy Cameron and Tom Hawkins, rating them the best combination in the AFL.

McKay's forward-line partnership with Charlie Curnow has flourished this season, with the pair booting 86 goals between them for the Blues.

Their collective feats have led some pundits to declare they're eclipsing the Cats' Hawkins and Cameron as the best tall forward duo in the league.

McKay says he and Curnow examine the on-field chemistry of the big Cats, who have kicked a combined 87 goals this season.

But McKay says comparisons are largely futile ahead of Saturday night's clash between his fifth-placed Blues and ladder-leaders Geelong.

"It's a bit hard to compare because we're all really different," McKay told reporters on Tuesday.

"Jeremy and Tom are the best in the league in my opinion.

"And the work they do together, they're quite different.

"The combination is really strong, they've played really good football together for a couple of years now.

"I often watch Tom and Jeremy and pick parts of their game that they're doing well ... I really like watching those two.

"I understand there's a media talk about the forwards, but it's 18 people that contribute to a team and the result on the weekend and as a forward, a lot depends on what happens up the ground."

McKay's partner Curnow managed just 15 games in three seasons from 2019-2021 because of injury but has returned with a vengeance this season.

"For him to be back playing football and be healthy and have a smile on his face is really great to see," McKay said.

"Knowing Charlie for a few years now, it's really disappointing when someone has a long time out of the game.

"To his credit, the amount of work he's done to get back, it's no coincidence he's having a good year."