Carlton remain hopeful first-round draft selection Sam Petrevski-Seton will overcome a quad strain in time for round one.
Petrevski-Seton complained of soreness during training on Wednesday and was sent for scans, which have since revealed he is likely to miss the pre-season competition, beginning this week.
![Sam Petrevski-Seton](/web/20170214162032im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/a/t/y/6/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guapsp.png/1486804326286.jpg)
"It's obviously a disappointing setback for Sam who is in the middle of his first AFL pre-season campaign," Blues head of football Andrew McKay told carltonfc.com.au.
"He is a fantastic young man and an exciting prospect for us long-term, so we look forward to Sam making a full recovery and hopeful he will still be available for round one selection."
The Blues are looking to Petrevski-Seton, the No.6 overall selection, to add pace and class to a midfield in need of an injection of more youth.
Meanwhile, evergreen Carlton defender Kade Simpson isn't planning on his 15th AFL season being his last.
Simpson, who turns 33 in May, told reporters on Saturday he has enjoyed another outstanding pre-season campaign.
It follows on from a stellar 2016 season in which he was included in the initial 40-man All Australian squad and finished second to Sam Docherty in the club's best-and-fairest count.
![Bryce Gibbs and Kade Simpson are the voices of experience at Carlton.](/web/20170214162032im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/a/p/u/9/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guapsp.png/1486804326286.jpg)
"I haven't really thought about the finish line ... I'm just trying to focus on getting through [seasons]," the 264-gamer said.
"I had a really good pre-season last year so I'm just trying to compete with that.
"With all of the young kids we've got coming through it sort of reinvigorates you ... it's an exciting place to be at the moment."
The rebuilding Blues aren't expected to challenge for the finals this year after managing seven wins last year to finish 14th, on the back of the 17th-ranked offence in the league.
But Simpson is backing the club's youth movement to bear fruit sooner rather than later.
"I'm not hanging around here to be dwindling [away] down the bottom," he said.
"I know myself, the leadership group and the coaches are doing everything we can to get this group to where we need to be."
Simpson will continue as vice-captain to skipper Marc Murphy after the club completed its leadership vote last week.
Patrick Cripps, Dennis Armfield, Ed Curnow, Bryce Gibbs and Docherty make up the remainder of the group, with Gibbs included despite his failed attempt to be traded to Adelaide.
"He sets the standard on the track so there's no reason for him not to be in there," Simpson said of Gibbs.
"He requested a move home to be with his family – it was nothing against the club, he loves the club.
"He's the ultimate professional and the way he's gone about pre-season ... probably in my eyes he's been the standout performer in the group."
With AAP