Carlton coach Michael Voss has stated he would be "staggered" if superstar midfielder and Brownlow Medal favourite Patrick Cripps received a suspension for his tackle on Crows forward Lachie Murphy.
The incident occurred in the third quarter of the Blues' 48-point win over Adelaide at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, with Murphy subsequently subbed out of the match with a neck complaint following a crunching tackle from Cripps.
Murphy has battled ongoing neck issues throughout this year after requiring surgery in December last year, heavily interrupting his pre-season.
While the Crows are yet to learn the extent of Murphy's latest setback, fears have arisen for both the 23-year-old and Cripps, with the latter potentially coming under the scrutiny of the Match Review Officer.
While a free kick wasn't paid for the tackle, the MRO are likely to at least assess the situation which hampered Murphy.
A suspension - while unlikely - would see Cripps ruled ineligible for the 2022 Brownlow Medal, a shock outcome given the Blues skipper's likely lead in votes after the opening eight rounds.
Speaking after the win, Voss stated that he'd be perplexed to see his in-form onballer ruled out through suspension.
"You're probably asking the wrong person, it would be slightly biased, but geez, I'd be staggered if it goes any further, to be honest," Voss said.
Cripps is sure to be among the vote-getters in Sunday's victory, recording his fourth 30-disposal, two-goal performance of the season.
The 27-year-old has been a constant on the podium each week for the 2022 Hanger MVP race, currently placed first and 18 votes ahead of Adelaide's Ben Keays after the opening seven rounds.
The win over the Crows sees Carlton sitting in fourth heading into Round 9 with a 6-2 record, now setting their sights on a clash with the GWS Giants next Sunday at GIANTS Stadium.