MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 24: Jacob Weitering of the Blues handpasses the ball during the 2016 AFL Round 01 match between the Richmond Tigers and the Carlton Blues at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne on March 24, 2016. (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Carlton were forced to use their medical sub in the opening term of their clash against Collingwood, with Jacob Weitering forced from the ground with a shoulder injury.

The 24-year-old was injured in an incident with Collingwood's Jordan De Goey and went down to the rooms to be assessed, with substitute Jack Carroll soon replacing the key defender on the ground.

After the narrow four-point loss to their arch-rivals, Blues coach Michael Voss stated he feared his star defender would miss an extended period of time, prompting some concerns for the clubs coming weeks.

"We think it will be more on the major end than on the minor end," Voss said.

"He will go see a surgeon early this week and decide whether he has surgery. If it ventures into that space we are probably talking more a longer term five, six weeks.

"There are some challenges within that. I've spoken to the group about you get thrown spanners. Every team does throughout the season and you get challenged at different times. Through those periods of time, which is what we've done, we've been able to find a way. That's what the challenge is ahead of us.

"We go to the break on the turn at 8-3, increased our own expectations of what our hopes are for this season. We've been able to do that by being able to manoeuvre through things, manage injuries and time on ground for some players. We've had some spanners thrown at us. We will keep working through it."

The injury adds to a depleted defensive pecking order at Princes Park, with Voss already without Oscar McDonald (back) and Mitch McGovern (hamstring).

Carlton made two changes ahead of the highly anticipated clash, with Brodie Kemp and Matthew Kennedy making way for Jack Newnes and Paddy Dow.

VIEW: COLLINGWOOD V CARLTON STATS CENTRE