Cripps misses training but a confirmed starter for Blues in Pies blockbuster

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Blues skipper Patrick Cripps will play in Friday night’s blockbuster against Collingwood, despite missing Carlton’s main training session on Thursday morning.

Cripps missed last Saturday’s match with West Coast due to a corked hamstring, and while coach Michael Voss was hopeful the reigning Brownlow medallist would improve in time for Friday night’s meeting with the Magpies, Cripps was a notable absentee from training at Ikon Park on Thursday morning.

Patrick Cripps was a no-show at training on Thursday morning.Credit: Getty Images

But Voss, speaking at his weekly press conference on Thursday, confirmed Cripps would lead the team in the highly anticipated game against their rivals.

Adam Cerra will also play after overcoming hamstring tightness. He was left out of the side that beat West Coast on Saturday, but was on the track on Thursday in a bid to prove his fitness.

Jesse Motlop, who played against the Eagles but finished the match on the bench with a calf concern, also trained on Thursday.

The Blues will be without Sam Walsh (hamstring) and Jack Silvagni (knee), while Harry McKay (knee) is out longer-term.

Collingwood boast the healthiest list in the competition at the moment, after Will Hoskin-Elliott overcame a broken hand to mark himself available for selection this week.

Fin Macrae (thumb injury) is the only Magpie on their injury list, but the young midfielder has not played a senior game in 2023.

Magpies coach Craig McRae says he has some tough selection decisions to make in the run to finals given their mass availability.

Friday night’s match at the MCG is sold out. Carlton sit ninth on the ladder after winning their past five matches, all with margins exceeding 50 points, while the Magpies sit atop the AFL ladder, having lost just two matches this season.

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