Carlton utility Andrew Walker could make his return to senior football this Friday night as the Blues aim to end a seven-season hoodoo against St Kilda.
The Blues will make a decision on Walker at a match committee meeting on Tuesday, coach Brett Ratten said, but would dearly love to have him back for what is shaping as a crucial match against fellow top-eight aspirant St Kilda.
Walker, who has not played in the seniors this season after injuring his shoulder in a practice match in March against the Western Bulldogs, would return either this week or in the following round against Sydney, Ratten said.
The coach three weeks ago had earmarked the Saints clash as Walker's likely comeback game.
Against Walker is the timing of this week's game. The Blues utility starred on Sunday for the Northern Bullants in the VFL, his second this season in the feeder competition, but would have only five days between matches if rushed back into the senior side.
One player who will definitely face the Saints is captain Chris Judd, who is over the concussion which saw him miss the win against Richmond prior to the break.
"He's probably trained the best he's trained this week at the club," Ratten said. "The break's done him the world of good, I think mentally and physically."
The Blues are striving to take St Kilda's place in the eight this round in a match which could determine which of the two clubs feature in this year's September action.
"Last week was defining, this one might be very defining," Ratten joked.
The Blues have lost 10 on the trot against St Kilda, a side they have not beaten since 2001. The streak is Carlton's worst ever against the Saints and it is no coincidence it came during the club's bleakest period in its proud history.
Rather than make talk of the hoodoo taboo, Ratten has chosen to attack the issue front on.
"Because I think sometimes in footy, we shy away from it. Don't say it, don't say it, everyone will think this, but at the end of the day you've got to do something about it or you keep copping it," he said.
"We speak about it. That's the challenge to the group, can we rectify that and change it?"
Significantly, all but two of those losses have come at Telstra Dome, and this week's game is at the MCG, where St Kilda has not visited since the final round of last year.
"I think we've played them a lot at Telstra Dome and they play very well at Telstra Dome," Ratten said.
"The history says over the last five, six seasons they've had a fantastic record there."
"It's a good one for us to get them at the MCG. Different venue and I think we're in a different state, the way we play. They've had a great record against us and that's a challenge for our players. Can we swing that around?"