Things are going from bad to worse at the Carlton Blues, with star Sam Walsh picking up as suspected ankle injury during the side's loss to the Gold Coast Suns on Saturday evening.
While Carlton kept their finals hopes alive last week with a win over St Kilda, the loss to the Suns all but puts them out of the running, the final score eventually reading 11.10 (76) to 8.9 (57).
The club now sit six points outside the top eight with just two weeks and a pair of tough games against the Port Adelaide Power and the Greater Western Sydney Giants to come.
Any chance they had of playing finals will be reduced even further should Walsh fail to take part in the remainder of the season.
The star, who is also reportedly on the verge of signing a new contract to keep him at Carlton for the foreseeable future, is hopeful he only sustained a rolled ankle.
Walsh averaged almost 30 disposals and six marks per game for the Blues, and has been one of their best in a season which has been well below expectations.
The 21-year-old Camperdown-born midfielder will reportedly head for scans on the ankle today.
The loss to the Suns is likely to put yet more pressure on Carlton coach David Teague, who is reportedly under enormous pressure to keep his job.
Teague took over as head coach at Carlton in 2019, but is yet to get the club firing. His contract ends at the end of next season with the Blues, but there is real speculation he may be moved on earlier than that on the back of what is likely to go down as a failed campaign.