CARLTON defender Caleb Marchbank will miss the remainder of the year, having suffered a non-displaced fracture of a vertebra at the base of his neck on Sunday.

Marchbank copped a knee to the back of his head late in the game, with a specialist on Monday determining that the 22-year-old should sit out the rest of the year.

He will not require surgery, though it continues a frustrated season for Marchbank after he missed the first two games of the campaign with a back injury.

Clayton Oliver and Caleb Marchbank compete for the ball on Sunday. Picture: AFL Photos

"While it is disappointing we won't see Caleb on the field again this year, our main focus is ensuring we look after his wellbeing and give him sufficient time to recover to get back to his best," Carlton's high-performance boss Andrew Russell said.

"An injury like this is able to heal naturally without surgery which is a positive, allowing Caleb to be fully fit when he returns for pre-season training.

"He has taken significant steps forward this year as a player and we look forward to seeing him continue that hard work and develop into an exciting player for our football club."

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Marchbank will join fellow defenders Sam Docherty (knee) and Tom Williamson (back) on the long-term injury list, with neither likely to return this season.

However, in better news for the Blues, co-captain Patrick Cripps (foot) is likely to return this week alongside forward duo Harry McKay (groin) and David Cuningham (knee).