Blues ruckman Marc Pittonent has suffered a fractured larynx, but Carlton's number one ruck will luckily avoid surgery in his recovery.
The 29-year-old copped a knock to the throat during Carlton's Friday training session and, according to the club statement, developed "considerable discomfort" following the incident.
He was then taken to hospital to be assessed where the extent of his injury was revealed, but the progress of his recovery in the following days has been positive, allowing the ruck to avoid surgery which may have seen him spend several weeks on the sidelines.
Carlton General Manager of Football Chris Davies revealed the timeline for Pittonet's expected return to full pre-season training on Monday.
“Thankfully Marc is comfortable now and improving every day, having received the care he needs,” Davies said on Monday.
“Given the timing of the injury, much of Marc's recovery will take place during the upcoming Christmas break.
“We then expect him to begin integrating back into training in January, having already given himself a great foundation to build into next year, thanks to the significant work he has already put in over the off-season and the first part of pre-season.”
Pittonet is shaping to be an integral part of Carlton's 2026 campaign following the departure of Tom De Koning via free agency in October.
While a small sample size of just seven games, Pittonet's 8.1 hitouts to advantage were 12th best in the AFL in 2025, and his hitout to advantage percentage ranked first among players averaging at least 20 hitouts per game (33.9 per cent).
Carlton will open the 2026 AFL season on Thursday, March 5 at the SCG, with recruits Will Hayward and Ollie Florent taking on their former club, the Sydney Swans.
