Carlton superstar Sam Walsh will miss the scratch match against Geelong this week as he deals with a worrying back issue.
Walsh is on modified duties after pulling up sore from the club’s intraclub clash last Monday, and has been given no timeline on his return.
It leaves the 23-year-old racing the clock to prove his fitness for the opening round clash against Brisbane on March 8.
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“The gun midfielder will be forced to miss Thursday’s hitout with Geelong after a back injury flared again. The Blues said on Friday Walsh was fit, but this injury actually relates to match practice last Monday,” 7NEWS reporter Mitch Cleary said.
It’s looming as another blow for the Blues, who will be without gun defender Jacob Weitering for at least the first two rounds and Jack Silvagni for the entire season.
The gun midfielder has barely missed a game since making his debut in 2019, but was ruled out of the start of the 2023 season after undergoing surgery on his back just before Christmas in 2022.
He made his return in Round 5 and quickly hit top form before missing another four games later in the season with a hamstring injury.
Walsh dominated the finals series with three standout performances to win the Gary Ayres Medal as the AFL Coaches Association’s best finals player as the Blues stormed to an unlikely preliminary final.
Meanwhile, Collingwood will be without nine members of their premiership side for Wednesday’s scratch match against North Melbourne.
Star Magpies Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Jeremy Howe, Jack Crisp, Tom Mitchell, Brayden Maynard, Jamie Elliott, Darcy Moore and Brody Mihocek are all missing.
The Kangaroos have named No.2 draft pick Colby McKercher, as well as recruits Zac Fisher, Dylan Stephens and Toby Pink in a new-look team.
Scratch match squads
COLLINGWOOD
1. Patrick Lipinski, 2. Jordan De Goey, 3. Isaac Quaynor, 7. Josh Daicos, 8. Lachie Schultz, 9. John Noble, 12. Josh Carmichael, 14. Darcy Cameron, 15. Nathan Kreuger, 16. Ed Allan, 17. Billy Frampton, 18. Finlay Macrae, 19. Tew Jiath, 23. Bobby Hill, 24. Jakob Ryan, 26. Reef McInnes, 27. Jack Bytel, 29. Joe Richards, 31. Beau McCreery, 32. Will Hoskin-Elliott, 33. Lachie Sullivan, 35. Nick Daicos, 36. Harvey Harrison, 37. Oleg Markov, 40. Ash Johnson, 43. Charlie Dean, 44. Oscar Steene, 46. Mason Cox
NORTH MELBOURNE
2. Jaidyn Stephenson, 3. Harry Sheezel, 6. George Wardlaw, 9. Luke Davies-Uniacke, 10. Colby McKercher, 12. Jy Simpkin, 14. Liam Shiels, 15. Dylan Stephens, 16. Zac Fisher, 17. Riley Hardeman, 20. Nick Larkey, 21. Callum Coleman-Jones, 24. Tom Powell, 25. Paul Curtis, 27. Miller Bergman, 28. Bigoa Nyuon, 29. Will Phillips, 31. Josh Goater, 32. Toby Pink, 35. Charlie Lazzaro, 37. Cooper Harvey, 38. Tristan Xerri, 41. Blake Drury, 42. Kallan Dawson, 44. Cam Zurhaar, 46. Robert Hansen jnr