CARLTON is optimistic champion midfielder Chris Judd will play in Sunday's elimination final against Richmond.
Judd's season appeared over when he ruptured his medial ligament in his knee in round 20, but the two-time Brownlow medallist always pushed for a return if the Blues made the finals.
Now they have, Carlton coach Mick Malthouse said he would need to prove his fitness on the track before getting the nod.
"Are we confident? We're confident that he's trained pretty well last week, he trained again pretty well today, and I would suspect by Thursday the medical staff will make a decision whether [he's] able to be picked," Malthouse said on Monday.
"And then it's up to us to pick the player. If we have too many players like that, then you've got to be careful. You don’t carry injured players into finals."
Brock McLean and Heath Scotland both missed the Blues' stirring one-point win over Port Adelaide on Saturday with quad injuries, and Malthouse said they would need to be sure they won't drag the team down if underdone.
"Finals football doesn't take prisoners. You've just got to make sure that the players you pick are ready to play 120 minutes of football at that level where the intensity lifts again," he said.
"We've played 'mini-finals' to make the eight. What we're doing now is we're playing for our lives because when you're in an elimination final there's no next day.
"You play to win and you play the side that's going to get you over the line."
Carlton's opportunity to play in the finals came when Essendon was last week booted out of the top eight by the AFL, but the Blues don't believe they are lucky to taste September action.
"We've won enough games to play in the finals. I can't see what's wrong with it," Malthouse said.
"Are we supposed to hand it back to someone? Who's supposed to have it? If we're not supposed to be there who should have it, do you think?"
To illustrate his point, Malthouse added in the last 15 games the Blues have won more games than Port Adelaide, who finished above Carlton in seventh position.
Captain Marc Murphy, who starred in his side's comeback win over the Power with 23 disposals and three goals, said his side would take some self-belief from beating the Tigers in round 21.
The Blues trailed by five goals at quarter-time but hit back to win by 10 points.
"We can't afford to give them a start the way we did last time, but they're a very good side so it'll be a great test for us," Murphy said.
Twitter: @AFL_CalTwomey
