MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 21: Caleb Marchbank of the Blues handballs whilst being tackled by Bailey Williams of the Bulldogs during the round 5 AFL match between Western Bulldogs and Carlton at Marvel Stadium on April 21, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Carlton defender Caleb Marchbank will miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a neck injury in the Blues' loss to Melbourne on Sunday.

Marchbank reported pain in his neck after the match after an incident late in the contest, with scans confirming a non-displaced fracture of a vertebrae, located at the base of the neck.

“While it is disappointing we won’t see Caleb on the field again this year, our main focus is ensuring we look after his wellbeing and give him sufficient time to recover to get back to his best,” Director of High Performance Andrew Russell told the club's website.

“An injury like this is able to heal naturally without surgery which is a positive, allowing Caleb to be fully fit when he returns for pre-season training.

“He has taken significant steps forward this year as a player and we look forward to seeing him continue that hard work and develop into an exciting player for our football club.”