CARLTON big man Matthew Kreuzer will miss the next six to eight weeks after breaking his thumb in the side's 16-point loss to Geelong on Saturday night.

 

The 23-year-old hurt his thumb in the first quarter and immediately left the ground. By quarter-time he had been substituted off the ground and was on his way to hospital for scans.

 

Carlton coach Mick Malthouse confirmed the diagnosis after the game.

 

"That's the nature of the game. It's a contact sport. You win some, you get some back, you lose some. No-one wants to lose good players," Malthouse said.

 

Kreuzer's injury comes at a terrible time for the Blues, who travel to Perth to play the resurgent West Coast next Saturday night. 

 

"We'll use (Levi) Casboult or (Robert) Warnock. One of them will come into the side and we'll go from there," Malthouse said.

 

The Blues are still yet to register a win this season.