CARLTON defender Caleb Marchbank has been taken to hospital with an elevated heart rate after missing most of the last quarter against the Lions.  

Marchbank wasn't the only injury concern for the Blues following their 18.12 (120) to 7.13 (55) loss at the Gabba, with Andrew Phillips injuring his hamstring early, Weitering missing the last quarter with a calf injury and Kade Simpson withdrawing pre-game with calf tightness.                   

Coach Brendon Bolton said the injuries caused major problems for the Blues defence, leaving his team disorganised behind the ball.

The Lions took full advantage, taking 24 marks inside 50 despite going inside the attacking arc 49 times to Carlton's 51.  

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Bolton said he didn't know the specifics of the condition that hospitalised Marchbank after his first senior appearance since round six.

"I don't really understand it fully but he's OK … there was some raised heart beat going on," Bolton said.  

"So I don't really understand that. The doctor said he's OK so he's off to hospital now to get checked.

"We'll see how that unfolds."

In round four this year, St Kilda defender Dylan Roberton collapsed behind play in a game against Geelong with a heart rhythm problem and, while he returned to training this week, he is unlikely to play again this season.

Bolton said his team started strongly, winning the inside 50m count seven to one in the first quarter, but couldn't do enough to capitalise with too many turnovers, dropped marks and poor forward entries.

He said Phillips' injury in the first quarter meant he was forced to throw Sam Rowe forward, throwing out the Blues' defence.

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"We were disorganised behind the ball," Bolton said.

"The loss of Phillips then forced us to try and put Rowe up forward, and Rowe's a real organiser down back so we've had a real makeshift defence behind the ball, and today they were found wanting.

"That puts some real pressure on."

Asked if he had a message for Blues fans after a disappointing loss to a bottom-four team that has his team in prime position for the wooden spoon, Bolton pointed to Carlton's bad run of injuries but said his players needed to improve their footy fundamentals.

WATCH Brendon Bolton's full post-match media conference

"I think our supporters can understand the reality of where we are at just now," Bolton said.

"We have a lot of work to do. We've been impacted significantly, particular down back, with injuries so moving forward we'll continue to challenge this group in and around basic fundamentals."

Bolton lamented the Blues' wasted opportunities when they had momentum in the first and last quarters.

"The last quarter though, I thought we boxed on admirably given where we were. We won the inside 50s but again didn't really put enough punch on the scoreboard in those times going forward," he said.