Carlton may have cruised to a 71-point win over Adam Simpson's struggling West Coast outfit, however, injuries to a pair of integral Blues have provided rain for the parade.
With 98 points on the board ahead of the second-half, Blues fans could just about pen a win in their books; their side's fifth on the trot after besting Gold Coast, Hawthorn, Fremantle and Port Adelaide across the course of the past month.
But with Jack Silvagni (jarred right knee) and Sam Walsh (hamstring) taking no further part in the contest after the main break, a familiar bitter-sweet taste had returned to Carlton's palate.
Silvagni would be subbed out by head coach Michael Voss and replaced by Lewis Young prior to half-time of the largely pyrrhic victory, with Walsh's ensuing strain leaving the Blues one down on the bench for the second half.
Jesse Motlop (lower leg) and Alex Cincotta (head injury assessment) also spent a sizable portion of the third quarter on the bench, adding a further dampener to what promised to be a bright afternoon for the Blues.
Thanks to a healthy percentage boost, Carlton will sit in seventh place ahead of Sunday's slate of games.
Yet, with five games to go against solid opposition in Collingwood, St Kilda, Melbourne, Gold Coast and GWS to round out the regular season, Blues fans will have every finger and toe crossed for a positive result for the star midfielder.
Carlton entered the clash without a slew of starters, as Adam Cerra, Jack Martin, Harry McKay and skipper Patrick Cripps all spent Saturday afternoon on the sideline with injury.
In happier news for hopeful Bluebaggers, gun spearhead Charlie Curnow strengthened his chances of taking out a second-straight Coleman Medal, slotting 10 goals to extend his lead in the race over Crows veteran Taylor Walker to double figures.