Carlton will welcome back Sam Walsh for Thursday’s night’s clash against the Western Bulldogs but gun recruit Adam Cerra has been ruled out through illness.
The Blues are priced at 5/4 to beat the Bulldogs and back-up an impressive round-one win over Richmond, but they have mixed news on the selection front ahead of the game.
Cerra setback
Cerra along with teammate Jack Martin and new coach Michael Voss will stay away from the rest of the group, who have all been given the all-clear to play.
Senior coach Ash Hansen will take charge of the team at Marvel Stadium in the absence of Voss.
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"While it's unfortunate for Adam that he is unavailable for tomorrow night, we are glad he is feeling OK," Carlton head of football Brad Lloyd said of Cerra.
"After last Friday, we obviously knew it was a reality that further players might have been impacted, so we simply adapt and move forward, as we have all week."
Walsh bonus
At least there is some good news for the Blues with Walsh returning ahead of schedule after battling back from ankle surgery.
He will be a valuable addition to the midfield in the absence of Cerra and Hansen is delighted to have him back available.
"He's an important member of our team and did everything right in his preparation, so we're excited to welcome him back," Hansen said. "Everyone's got their individual (recovery) timeline and Sam's ticked all the boxes that we've required him to, both medically and physically."
