Interim Carlton coach Josh Fraser has suffered a second consecutive loss and wasn't helped by two key injuries to star players that hurt the Baggers.
Coleman Medallist Harry McKay was an early out in the game after his knee took a fairly innocuous knock from teammate Sam Walsh.
McKay was seen talking with the medical team for an extended period of time and failed to return to the field, leaving Carlton's forward line scrambling for answers against Collingwood.
Meanwhile, midfielder-turned-winger Adam Cerra had recaptured some of his best form in recent weeks, but the 26-year-old was ruled out of the game with a hamstring injury, also in the first half.
The pair were sent for scans on Sunday, with Carlton revealing that McKay had suffered a minor tear in his meniscus, while Cerra's hamstring was cleared of any strain.
Both players are tests to play next weekend against Gold Coast.
Fraser said post-match that he didn't know the extent of McKay's injury.
"Those ones can sometimes (be) worse than what they appear," Fraser said.
"We had to make some adjustments (to the forward line), and I don't think we executed those adjustments well."
Cerra has been injury-prone during his time at Carlton as he has struggled with soft tissue issues.
Fraser said that Cerra's injury was a significant "loss" in a tight encounter against the Pies.
"Just hamstring tightness (for Cerra)," he said.
"Obviously, couldn't take any further part in the game. He has been in terrific form for us, so he was certainly a loss.
"Same precaution we take with all the players. We don't want to put them out there to add any further risk, and Adam was maybe at risk of doing more damage if we put him back out there."
