Carlton have ruled out skipper Marc Murphy for Saturday’s AFL clash with Geelong, and the Blues skipper could face several weeks on the sidelines as a result of his latest foot injury.
Murphy missed five games with a plantar fasciitis injury and disrupted scar tissue in the same foot in his return to action last weekend.
The 30-year-old was on crutches at Princes Park on Thursday and will have scans on Friday, admitting the issue could be more serious than initially thought.
“At the moment I’m not really too sure what’s going on with it,” he told the Seven Network.
“It could be scar tissue, it could be a re-rupture, so not too sure yet.”
In better news for bottom-placed Carlton, brothers Charlie and Ed Curnow will return for Saturday’s game at Kardinia Park along with swingman Jacob Weitering and David Cuningham.
Jarrod Garlett is among three omissions for the Blues, who copped a 109-point drubbing from Melbourne last weekend.
Geelong have also swung the axe following their 34-point loss to Essendon.
Ruckman Rhys Stanley returns with Zac Smith one of four players omitted.
Struggling St Kilda will welcome back Jake Carlisle and Paddy McCartin for Saturday’s clash with Richmond at the MCG.
The reigning premiers have dropped Sam Lloyd and Jacob Townsend while Jason Castagna has been rested with general soreness.
Both Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs have named key inclusions for Friday night’s clash at Etihad Stadium.
Ben Reid, Josh Daicos and Levi Greenwood return for the Pies while star recruit Josh Schache will make his Bulldogs debut.
Brisbane will line up unchanged against Sydney while a freak injury means the Swans will be without Callum Mills for the rest of the season.
The Swans say Mills was throwing an American football with teammates on the way back from a cafe on Thursday when he tripped and fell, breaking his foot.
Big guns Josh Kelly and Jonathon Patton are back for Greater Western Sydney’s game against Essendon, who will welcome back young star Andrew McGrath.
Hawthorn’s Jaeger O’Meara and Fremantle’s Stephen Hill are among the inclusions for Sunday’s games.
O’Meara returns along with James Frawley to face ladder-leaders West Coast, who have been bolstered by prime mover Elliot Yeo being declared fit to play.
Hill is set to face North Melbourne, minus rested big man Majak Daw, at Optus Stadium.
Melbourne have named Tom McDonald at full-forward for their match against Adelaide in Alice Springs despite the swingman hurting his foot at training on Thursday.
Prolific midfielder Matt Crouch returns for the Crows, having missed last week’s game with hamstring soreness.
Gold Coast and Port Adelaide have the bye after playing in Shanghai last week.