CARLTON'S Lachie Henderson is set foranother season as the Blues' swingman when he overcomes this week's minorsurgery on his left leg. 

The 24-year-old is scheduled for an operationto release his iliotibial band, which runs from the hip to the knee. 

The Blues are confident the procedurewill only restrict his training for two weeks. 

Carlton football manager Andrew McKaysaid the plan was to again use the key position player at either end of theground this season, depending on where he was needed from week to week. 

"We'll play him both [forward andback], hopefully. Certainly that's the beauty about Lachie, he's versatile andwe've seen him up forward kicking a few goals," McKay told SEN onWednesday morning. 

"He was a forward as a youngster sohe knows where to run and he's got a good head for space and awareness andthings like that. 

"Certainly his height and body workis good in defence so we'd like to use him at both ends; it will just depend onwho we play at the time and how they man up and how we man up againstopposition." 

McKay said the Blues had decided onsurgery after Henderson had been troubled by it over the past few weeks. 

He is expected to miss 10 days ofrunning and be fit for the Blues' round one clash against Port Adelaide onMarch 16. 

"He'll be on the track again withintwo weeks and he'll be playing in four weeks so we figure if we get it done nowhe'll be right for round one, whereas it could linger on for a good period oftime and we may have to get it done down the track, which means he'd miss games,"McKay said. 

"We think we've taken the rightoption here." 

Henderson played every game in 2013 andwas valuable both as a tall defender and tall forward before finishing third inthe John Nicholls Medal. 

Dale Thomas and the pre-season's mosttalked about ankle are tracking better, with the former Collingwood player infull training and looking to put his injury concerns behind him. 

Thomas played just five games last yearbecause of the troublesome ankle that caused the Magpies to baulk at giving hima long-term deal.  

"He's back doing full training nowand that's great," McKay said. 

"He obviously had a slower build upthan the rest of them. 

"He was running before Christmasbut now he's in full training and he's doing all the things you need to do infull training, the long kicks and changing direction and all that type of thingand it's holding up well. 

"We're confident we'll get a fullseason out of Daisy." 

McKay said the bulk of the Blues' listwas "pretty healthy" with just a few players carrying the usualpre-season niggles. 

Ruckman Matthew Kreuzer has continued tobuild slowly and will be in full training in the next week.

The Blues' first draft selection fromlast November Patrick Cripps has also impressed with his potential so far. 

"He's a good shape; he's a bigbodied midfielder for us," McKay said. 

"He's got good strong legs and agood strong backside on him. He'll need to build up his tank over the next 12months or so and get a bit more endurance under his belt but certainly he's gota great stature for it. 

"We saw Fremantle go quite welllast year with big bodied midfielders and a couple of other teams doing thesame, Sydney and those guys. 

"If we can get a bit more strengtharound that ball, that will certainly help and it gives the other guys likeJuddy and Murph a chop out."