Luckless Carlton midfielder David Cuningham has reportedly suffered another injury setback, with a shoulder complaint placing the 25-year-old under an injury cloud three weeks out from Round 1.
Cuningham hasn't played AFL football since Round 9, 2021 - a campaign where he managed just four appearances for the Blues before suffering an ACL injury that curtailed his season.
The long-term setbacks placed the Canterbury product out of action for the entirety of the 2022 season, with Cuningham not featuring at VFL or senior level last year.
After looking toward the 2022-23 summer to rebuild his fitness and return to the selection frame ahead of his eighth season at Princes Park, Cuningham's hopes of an early season returnn are reportedly in jeopardy.
According to SEN's Sam Edmund, a dislocated shoulder could force Cuningham to go under the knife once again, with the "nasty" training injury potentially forcing the Blues' utility to spend an extended period on the sidelines.
"There are some really nervous people at Carlton after David Cuningham went down with what could prove to be a nasty shoulder injury," Edmund said on SEN Mornings.
"The injury-prone speedster dislocated his shoulder yesterday and there is, at the moment, some chance he could need surgery.
"... Cuningham was wrestling with teammates towards the end of training yesterday, something of a muck around, nothing unusual, and the shoulder has just popped up. He had just got himself back into match simulation and full practice."
Cuningham, who re-signed with the club in September last year for a further 12 months, has played 41 games since joining Carlton through the 2015 National Draft, managing at least one appearance in every year prior to 2022.
Often utilised in a wider role within Carlton's midfield pack, Cuningham would've been in line for a spot in senior coach Michael Voss' preferred side this season as Carlton looks to identify their best wing partnership.
Star midfielder Sam Walsh will miss the opening rounds of the home and away season, while injuries to Zac Williams, Jordan Boyd and Sam Philp have also opened up opportunities for the rest of Voss' squad.
First-round draftee Oliver Hollands firms as a strong chance to feature in Carlton's Round 1 bout against Richmond at the MCG in the absence of Walsh, sharing the wing duties with recruit Blake Acres.
Carlton will face Collingwood on Friday morning for their first pre-season clash for 2023, with the Blues to name their squad for the hitout on Thursday evening.
