AFL round 3: The latest injury updates from across the competition

Carlton face a must-win clash on Thursday night against the Pies, but it appears reinforcements are on the way, while the Cats have injury concerns of their own.

Carlton has kept the door open for Harry McKay and Elijah Hollands to make prompt returns to senior football after the duo appeared in a VFL intraclub match on Saturday.

The Blues pair, who have both taken indefinite leave for personal reasons, both got through the game behind closed doors at Ikon Park with no physical concerns for either.

The club said a call on whether McKay faced Collingwood in Thursday night’s blockbuster clash would be made by Wednesday.

Hollands, who stepped back from playing AFL games on the eve of the season, is understood to be at least another fortnight away from returning.

Carlton arranged the match after earlier plans to play a practice game against Footscray during their bye weekend were scrapped when the Bulldogs pulled out.

Harry McKay has missed the Blues’ last two losses. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Elijah Hollands hasn’t played this season. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

The 2-1 Western Bulldogs could be buoyed by the return of captain Marcus Bontempelli within three weeks, but small forward Cody Weightman’s return from a complex knee issue has hit a snag.

Weightman, who had surgery on a rare congenital condition in his knee in February, underwent an additional minor procedure before the Bulldogs’ win over Carlton on Friday.

The Bulldogs had hoped the 24-year-old would return close to the club’s round 12 bye, but the setback could push his return date out further.

Weightman’s accuracy has been critical to the Bulldogs with an output of 123.58 over his last four seasons, but the career best form of Laitham Vandermeer and Lachlan McNeil has helped offset his absence in the early rounds.

Geelong maintained Sam De Koning’s substitution was purely tactical after the ruckman appeared ginger coming from the ground in Saturday night’s loss to Brisbane.

Sam De Koning was subbed out of the Cats’ loss. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The Cats said the 24-year-old ruckman did not require a scan after he was assessed on the sidelines for a knock to his right leg during the third quarter.

Coach Chris Scott said the Cats were “really confident” Tom Stewart would be fit to face Melbourne on Friday night after the vice-captain was a late withdrawal due to his knee injury.

“It’s a little complicated when you’re travelling. It’s not ideal putting a guy on a plane and then having him not play, but it is an indication of how close we thought he was,” Scott said after the defeat.

“He did a little bit (on Saturday), and just didn’t feel quite right. We were always going to err on the side of caution – which means that if he was a fair way off (on Friday) when we got on the plane, we just wouldn’t have brought him – but we gave him a chance to play.

“I’m told that we should be really confident that he’ll be right next week.”

Originally published as AFL round 3: The latest injury updates from across the competition