Carlton's already lengthy injury list is set to extend after vaunted defender Jacob Weitering failed to finish the Blues' hefty defeat to Sydney in the Harbour City on Friday night.
Weitering, already in the headlines this week after reportedly being extended a $12 million offer to trade Princes Park for Moorabbin, was subbed out of the loss after injuring his leg in a marking contest during the opening term of the 52-point drubbing.
While able to return to the action, Weitering was clearly hampered, with the former No.1 draftee wearing heavy bandaging on his right quad.
Speaking post-game, head coach Michael Voss claimed that while Weitering would battle a cork this week, the full extent of the injury was not yet known.
"He's got a corky. With all these, it's just really about how bad it is, so it's a bit of a wait and see," Voss told reporters at the SCG.
"In terms of how significant it is, it's a corky, but you're never too sure what the actual damage is until maybe 48 hours later."
Speaking to media on Saturday after touching back down in Melbourne, Blues vice-captain Sam Walsh provided the latest on Weitering.
"He looks like he's improving pretty well," Walsh said.
"He'll get assessed at the club and will go from there. It was obviously a pretty big hit for him to have to sit out the second half."
Should Weitering require time on the sidelines, the Blues' already stretched roster would take another hit, with the likes of Matt Carroll (groin), Adam Cerra (hamstring), Matthew Cottrell (foot), David Cuningham (calf), Sam Docherty (knee), Sam Durdin (concussion), Lachie Fogarty (wrist), Jack Martin (calf), Jesse Motlop (hamstring), Hudson O'Keeffe (hamstring), Adam Saad (hamstring) and Jack Silvagni (knee) already out of action.
Though hamstrung regarding availability, Voss refused to chalk up his side's inability to compete against the ladder leaders to fitness.
"No, not going there, mate, not going there," the triple premiership winner offered.
"We had a team out there that could get the job done. We've had some continuity with some important pieces with the guys out there. It presents some challenges but it's not insurmountable.
"We could have got that job done and we didn't, so I don't want to go anywhere else."
At 6-4, Carlton's grip on a top-eight rung is beginning to slip, and will only face further fire across the next month, with consecutive clashes against Gold Coast (H), Port Adelaide (A), Essendon (A) and Geelong (H) on the horizon.
