AFL pre-season injury news: Carlton provides updates on Sam Walsh, Jagga Smith knee knock

Carlton remains hopeful Sam Walsh will feature in its next pre-season clash but has been left sweating on a knee knock to prized draftee Jagga Smith during Saturday’s match against St Kilda.

Carlton will monitor Sam Walsh’s recovery this week after he got through his most intense pre-season hitout since suffering a hamstring strain in January, hopeful he can prove his fitness for Friday’s Community Series clash with Greater Western Sydney in Canberra.

Walsh did a power of work on the track on Saturday morning, just before the Blues took on St Kilda in a match simulation at IKON Park, with assistant coach Tim Clarke saying his recovery from the session will determine if he is ready to take on the Giants.

The Blues will also assess exciting No. 3 draft pick Jagga Smith after he sat out the final term of the trial game after copping a knock to his knee, but they are hopeful it is not serious.

And small forward Corey Durdin faces an anxious wait on an ankle injury after he barely got through a few minutes before being taken out of the game.

Clarke is confident Smith should be fine but stressed the Blues were not prepared to take any risks after he pulled up a bit short just before three-quarter-time.

Jagga Smith is assisted off after copping a knock to the knee.

The Blues hope Sam Walsh will feature in their next pre-season clash. Picture: Andrew Batsch

He did some big run-throughs after the match and appeared to be moving freely.

“He is exciting, Jagga, he has had a great pre-season,” Clarke said after the Blues went down to a young St Kilda outfit who overcame a slow start to win the game by 11 points.

“He had worked really well with the boys around the midfield group.

“He just got a knock to his knee, so we kept him off as a precaution. It will be looked at in the next couple of days, but at the moment, it doesn’t look serious.”

Clarke said Walsh was closing in on a return but the Blues were not prepared to rush him to ensure he is right to go against Richmond in round 1 on March 13.

“Walshy did a really good session today, he ticked off all measurements he needed to,” Clark said. “He had to be able to train this week to give himself the best chance to be able to play against the Giants, which is the plan.

“We will see how he pulls up after today’s session. Hopefully he is in full training and then we will see him next week. If not, then it will be the week after.”

Carlton went in with a relatively strong side, but were without several key players including Walsh and Charlie Curnow.

The Saints in contrast were missing a host of their best players including Max King, Rowan Marshall, Jack Sinclair, Mason Wood, Liam Henry and Mattaes Phillipou.

But St Kilda head of strategy and game plan Corey Enright said the club was delighted with the performance of their young side with a number of them putting their hands up for an early look at an AFL debut.

“The first hitout is always interesting. It was good to see some of the things we have been training put into practice,” Enright said.

Originally published as AFL pre-season injury news: Carlton provides updates on Sam Walsh, Jagga Smith knee knock