Contrary to scuttlebutt, Sam Walsh will not be returning in Round 1 and the original timeline of missing the first month of the season remains in place.
The star midfielder had back surgery to correct lingering issues that bothered him across the 2022 season, with the club stressing they would take their time integrating him back into full training.
Despite this, rumours have circled about Walsh being ahead of schedule in recent weeks.
The man himself, however, has poured cold water on that speculation.
“My time in footy I haven’t had a lot of injuries, but the news can be a bit comical in the way it’s talked about,” Walsh told Carlton Media.
“I’ve got to remember it comes from a place of interest and people care, but people trying to get in first with what I’m doing with my training and when I’m going to return when there’s only three people at the club who know – and I’m not one of them, it has been funny to listen to.
“It’s tracking really well. The stage I was at before surgery to where I’m at now, I’m just so glad with how it has all panned out.
“I’ve just got to keep doing the right things because I feel like every week is a new introduction to something because you learn how many elements there are in football.
“It’s been good. The physio has been pretty onto me which is nice.
“I’ve started doing skill drills with the boys and a lot of my nerve related pain has not been impacting any of that and now we’ve just got to intro back into contact.
“The way the physios explained it, you’ve got to do it in a controlled environment, so I’ll be doing one-on-one work to get a feel and then I’ll be back into training with the boys.
“That’s been the plan all along. For anyone that’s said it’s back early or coming back Round 1 or all this stuff, it’s funny to look at it.”
Carlton will be without their star midfielder when they open the season against Richmond next Thursday night.