Carlton’s one-wood this season has been their brutal dominance in clearance and contested ball situations.
That has been largely thanks to the trio of Patrick Cripps, George Hewett and Matt Kennedy.
Well… the Blues will be 0/3 when they face Melbourne on Saturday night.
Cripps failed to overturn his two-match ban at the Tribunal, while Kennedy and Hewett remain sidelined with injuries.
So what do they do now?
Sam Walsh and Adam Cerra remain from the first-choice on-ball unit and will be forced to carry a heavy load.
Paddy Dow was poor in his second game of the year against Brisbane, but simply must keep his spot and take on that third spot in the starting midfield rotation.
Zac Fisher will likely also continue to rotate through as he has done this year.
Beyond that? How do the Blues compete with the size and power of Christian Petracca, Clayton Oliver and Jack Viney?
Ed Curnow would be nice, but he suffered a hamstring setback in the VFL. David Cuningham also remains sidelined as he returns from a torn ACL.
Could the Blues finally unleash Liam Stocker and/or Brodie Kemp on-ball as intended on draft night?
Stocker’s availability is unknown coming off a concussion a fortnight ago, but he has the size and was initially billed as an inside midfielder.
Will Setterfield is another who came to the club as an inside midfielder, but has played almost exclusively on the wing because their hasn’t been a spot available.
He will surely receive his chance on the inside if he retains his spot in the side.
Mid-season draftee Will Hayes has impressed in the VFL at stages on-ball, Jack Carroll has received a few AFL opportunities this year and Lachie Fogarty is another option.
Do the Blues get creative with someone like Kemp or potentially Jack Silvagni as a pure on-baller?
He did tag Nathan Fyfe earlier in his career. Is this the opportunity to try him on Oliver? James Aish did so successfully recently.
Carlton needs to win one more game to make the eight. They will have to do so without their fearless leader and half their starting midfield … and at least 14 unavailable players pending this week’s medical report.
Solving this midfield rotation is step one.