AFL 2022: Carlton coach Michael Voss

Carlton are without their number one ruckman and two more injuries have hit the Blues hard.

Carlton coach Michael Voss has injury concerns to address. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Coleman medallist Harry McKay is clear to take on North Melbourne on Saturday, with Carlton coach Michael Voss backing young big man Tom De Koning to fill the ruck void left by the injury to Marc Pittonet.

But the injury ward at the Blues has added George Hewett and also key defender Mitch McGovern, who is out indefinitely after re-injuring his troublesome hamstring.

McGovern has played just 19 of a possible 45 senior games since crossing to Carlton and just two this year after being sent to defence by new coach Voss.

“It‘s a bit of a loss,” Voss said on Friday.

“We’re still waiting to see what the eventual outcome will be. We‘d like some more positive news and we were hoping to get him up and going for next week but we’ve lost him for a little while.”

Hewett is expected to miss just a week with a calf injury and he’ll be replaced by Jack Carroll, who will make his AFL debut, and Voss said the first-gamer would slot into the midfield and “won’t shirk a contest” against the Kangaroos.

“(Carroll) is tough, he‘s hard and I know he’ll do really well,” Voss said.

“He works extremely hard and that always puts you in a really good starting point.

“He had a pre-season which was absolutely outstanding. He could have stated a strong case to play in round 1, had a few little interruptions and a few more in the last month, but his last couple of weeks have been really strong.

“He‘s worked really close with our mids right throughout pre-season and he’s certainly mixed it with some of the bigger boys in there.

“He won‘t shirk a contest this young man. I think the Carlton faithful will be pretty happy watching his career unfold.”

Tom De Koning will step up in the ruck for Carlton. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

McGovern’s loss comes after Pittonet’s knee injury that could sideline him for the bulk of the season, forcing Voss to turn to De Koning to take on Kangaroos veteran Todd Goldstein this week.

Last week against Fremantle, De Koning returned 17 disposals, 15 hit-outs, six marks and five clearances in arguably one of the best individual performances of his fledgling career as he stepped up to replace Pittonet.

“I feel like the pre-season Tom has had … he’s ready for this moment,” Voss said.

“Not much will change for us. Tom has played some ruck, he’ll just get more exposure.

“What an opportunity to come in and probably own the next little period. Tom was able to play a lot of games last year, that made him really hungry.

“It’s the next man up approach and we feel really confident that he’ll be able to deliver a really strong performance for us not just this week but over the next couple of months.”