Carlton vice-captain Jacob Weitering is confident sore star Patrick Cripps and fellow defender Nick Haynes will be right to suit up for the Blues on Friday night against Geelong.
Cripps took a knock to his already strapped knee during Carlton's Wildcard Final win against Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday. The 31-year-old's influence was diminished after the hit.
At training on Monday, Cripps didn't participate in the running and instead did a light skills session. Haynes didn't appear on the ground during training as he nurses a sore ankle that nearly took him out of the game against the Dees on multiple occasions at the weekend.
"Yeah, (Cripps) good. A bit like Haynes, he played the game out. Short turnaround, so we'll make sure that they're recovering well over the next couple of days," Weitering said.
"But again, (Cripps is) just a guy that while (Sam) Walsh had his 39 (disposals) or whatever it was, Jagga (Smith) had an unbelievable game, but (Cripps had) some really important smothers, incredible tackles, and efforts.
"Obviously, a captain's goal in there as well. Just little things. He doesn't have to carry the load anymore. We've got some guys to spread it, but he's continuing to lead us, and he might not be having his Brownlow-type form, but it's been referenced that he is probably leading as well as he's ever led."
Forward-winger Will Hayward is a watch this week as he looks to recover from an ankle injury he sustained in Round 23 against the Western Bulldogs.
Hayward was reported to be line ball with Haynes heading into the Wildcard Final but failed to get up in time. Weitering concedes the 27-year-old remains a test, but he expects Hayward to push for selection.
Weitering himself has battled injuries throughout the season, with a rib fracture during the State of Origin in February, before sustaining a calf injury during the midway point of the season.
However, heading into a second final, Weitering said his 28-year-old body is feeling fresh.
"Body's good. I'm probably one of the more fortunate guys. I might have timed it reasonably well with 10 weeks off, but it was pretty frustrating," he said.
"Sitting on the sidelines and seeing, obviously, not being a part of that winning was hard, but at the same time, tried to contribute in my own way.
"Guys like (Wade Derksen), Lewis Young, (Harry Dean), obviously held the fort there for a long period of time, but we had some guys that really stepped up, and we're gonna need probably 30-32 guys in a final series like this.
"We might have a few guys hopefully come back. There's obviously a test to do for Will Hayward and Haynes; he looks like he should be right. So pretty exciting."
Not many sides can say they have got the wood over Geelong, but Carlton, throughout its roller coaster of an 18-24 months, has found a bunny in the Cats.
The Blues have won the past three matches against Geelong, but Weitering said he is more than wary of Friday night's opposition and Cats coach Chris Scott's football nous.
"I had maybe a four or five-day experience with Chris Scott in the Origin, even though I only got to play 10 minutes, and he was one of the more incredible football minds and motivators I've come across in my time," he said.
"And that was only in a short space of time that I got to spend with him. (The Cats) know exactly what they are; their system's been ingrained in them for 12, 13 years now. They got some incredibly good senior players and some great contributors across the field.
"So whatever they throw at us, hopefully we can prepare for it and just focus on what we are good at, which is pretty good football at the moment."
