CARLTON is confident ruckman Matthew Kreuzer will return for Friday night's blockbuster against Collingwood, but defender Ciaran Byrne will be sidelined for four weeks with a quad injury.

Kreuzer was a late withdrawal from last Saturday's game against Gold Coast with a groin injury, while Byrne was injured in the fourth quarter of the same game.

Carlton football manager Andrew McKay told the club's website Kreuzer was expected to return for Friday night's game at the MCG, when the Blues will be desperately seeking their first win of the season.

"We're really confident he'll be up for the Friday night game against Collingwood, (but) he's still got to get through training this week," McKay said on Tuesday.

"(Ciaran) is going to be out for probably four weeks, which is really disappointing for Ciaran and us, but (we're) looking forward to him returning in the next four or five weeks."

McKay was also "hopeful" former Giants midfielder Matthew Kennedy would be fit to take on the Magpies after missing last round with an ankle injury, while ex-Port Adelaide ruckman Matthew Lobbe (quad) and key defender Harrison Macreadie (quad) are expected to be available for selection.

Darcy Lang (ankle) is another player expected to be fit this round, but McKay said the former Cats midfielder would most likely return with Carlton's VFL affiliate, the Northern Blues.

Meanwhile, the Blues expect to be without Alex Silvagni (hamstring) for another one to two weeks and Tom Williamson (back) for another three to four weeks.