TENACIOUS Carlton onballer Patrick Cripps is likely to face Essendon at the MCG on Sunday afternoon, just seven days after fracturing his jaw.
Cripps was injured when Melbourne midfielder Jordan Lewis struck him from behind in the third term of the Blues' 22-point loss, a hit that saw the Demon banned for three matches.
Carlton coach Brendon Bolton said at Ikon Park on Friday that Cripps and defender Sam Rowe would be given until the last minute to prove their fitness.
Rowe had delayed concussion after he copped a left hand from Jesse Hogan in the same match. The backman played the game out, and Hogan was hit with a two-game ban.
"We'll go through due diligence and give them until the end of the week, but I think both of them are more likely to play than not," Bolton said.
The doctors' call will be final when it comes to determining whether it is safe for Cripps to play.
"We'll never put a player at risk. Every game you go out there, there is some sort of risk, but if our medicos tick it off, we'll go with it," Bolton said.
Cripps has a small hairline fracture in his jaw, but it is stable. If it was up to the 22-year-old, the winner of Carlton's 2015 best and fairest would be a certain starter against the Bombers.
"There's no doubt that's the attitude with Patrick Cripps," Bolton said.
"You only need to see the way he played. On the weekend, he was back to some of his best. He had 10 clearances, so he'll be pretty determined and dogged that he wants to play."
Cripps ended last weekend's loss with 29 disposals, 17 contested possessions and seven inside 50s.
The West Australian was among a number of Blues to remonstrate with Lewis.
"What was good out of that game is our players flew the flag for each other and were extremely disciplined given the situation. That's a step forward for us as a young team," Bolton said.
Carlton has lost its first two matches of the season, and the coach said his players were in the right mindset to turn that around.
"The overall feeling is about real determination. I could just tell in the review that the guys had an element of frustration, but determination to come and improve their performance," Bolton said.
"The first two rounds we've grown – we were a little bit better last week than we were round one, and hopefully that continues."
Leadership group member Dennis Armfield was dropped from the side, with former Docker and Giant Rhys Palmer and ex-Crow Sam Kerridge among those brought into the 25-man squad.
Tall forward Harry McKay was named on the bench. The Northern Blues didn't play last weekend, but the 19-year-old booted four goals in the VFL a week earlier.
Although Bolton did not comment on who would be left out of the team for Sunday, he has previously indicated McKay required more development before breaking through for his senior debut.
