Carlton have been dealt a major injury blow, with young star Patrick Cripps ruled out for the rest of the AFL season due to a fractured left fibula.
The 22-year-old will miss at least six weeks after sustaining the injury during the Blues' loss to Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday.
"The good news from a medical perspective is Patrick won't require surgery," Carlton football boss Andrew McKay said on Monday.
"It would usually be approximately a six-week injury which, given the timing, takes us through to the end of the season.
"It's obviously very disappointing for both Patrick and the club, but he will make a full recovery well before the start of the 2018 pre-season campaign."
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Veteran teammate Simon White is awaiting further scans on his knee after also injuring himself against the Dees.
With the 16th-placed Blues out of finals contention, prime mover Cripps has been one of their brightest lights this season, averaging 25 disposals and almost seven clearances per game.
The young gun has played every game despite spending three months sidelined during the off-season with a lower back strain.
Cripps also suffered a hairline jaw fracture when he was struck by Melbourne's Jordan Lewis during their second-round clash.
Lewis copped a three-game suspension for the behind-play hit, while Cripps managed to recover in time to face Essendon the following week.
