Respective foot injuries have put pre-season preparations on hold for two young Blues at Ikon Park, with both Matthew Cottrell and Jordan Boyd facing time on the sidelines.
Boyd, who joined Carlton in the 2021 mid-season draft, played seven games in 2022 but is now expected to have surgery after re-injuring an acute fracture in his foot.
Cottrell meanwhile, who has played 37 games for the Blues since his debut in 2018, is continuing his recovery from a navicular stress fracture.
While the Blues didn't provide a timeline on Cottrell's return to full training, they did confirm that the 22-year-old will remain in a moon boot until adequate healing has occurred.
Carlton's Head of Football, Brad Lloyd, said the news was disappointing for both players.
“It's disappointing news for Matthew and Jordan, who have shown an appetite to compete since day one of pre-season,” Lloyd said.
“We know both players will leave no stone unturned in their recovery: Matthew has already been very diligent in his rehab, and we know Jordan will do the exact same post-surgery.
“We will give both players the required time to recover to ensure they're in the best possible position to positively impact the team in season 2023.”
Carlton's season gets underway on Thursday, March 16 against Richmond at the MCG.