Carlton injury curse returns as Blue faces five months out, Curnow needs knee surgery

Carlton’s injury curse has rolled on with one Blue ruled out for the start of 2025 and another star facing knee surgery.

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The Blues have confirmed Alex Cincotta won’t be available for the opening rounds as he faces months on the sidelines with a hip issue.

And there’s more injury concern for star Charlie Curnow who will miss the team’s Sunshine Coast pre-season camp as he remains in Melbourne for knee surgery.

Curnow has a lengthy history of knee issues, with a whopping seven injuries to his right knee in the space of four years.

He famously dislocated that knee playing basketball before fracturing his knee cap a short time later.

As a result, he missed all of the 2020 season and managed just four games in late 2021.

The club remains confident going under the knife is Curnow’s best option for 2025 as part of a “small clean up”.

“The club has made the proactive decision to complete the minor procedure early next week, to ensure Curnow’s availability for the start of the season will not be impacted,” the Blues said in a statement.

But it’s a big blow for Cincotta who faces months out of the game due to his hip complaint.

“The 27-year-old (Cincotta) has been unable to train over the last week due to the injury, with further specialist consultation this week confirming surgery would be required,” the club said.

“Cincotta is expected to be sidelined for the next four to five months, with the aim to be available to play early in the season.”

The Blues limped into the 2024 AFL finals with an injury ravaged squad, before bowing out first week to eventual premiers Brisbane.

The Blues were so decimated that at times coach Michael Voss had just 28 fit players to choose from for a 26-man playing squad, while their injury list sat at around 40 per cent for much of the year.

Statistics show at least 12 Carlton players missed four or more games in 2024, including the likes of Adam Cerra, Mitch McGovern, Adam Saad, Sam Docherty, Jesse Motlop, Zac Williams and Jordan Boyd.

Curnow struggled with an ankle issue at the end of the season and was clearly limited in the games he did play.

The injury crisis was a tough pill for Blues fans to swallow given the club sat in second spot on the AFL ladder at Round 20 – before fading badly to cling onto eighth.

The club has confirmed other players currently still sitting in the rehabilitation group are expected back on the training track in January.

Those players include the likes of Jack Silvagni (knee), Blake Acres (back), Corey Durdin (shoulder) and Matt Cottrell (shoulder).