IT'S BEEN a big month for Jacob Weitering.

The Carlton stalwart was crunched in a marking contest in the AAMI AFL Origin match, fractured a rib and was taken to hospital in Perth while wife Isabel and five-week-old daughter Florence were at home in Melbourne.

There was the rapid comeback – three weeks ahead of schedule – and pushing through the pain to play on former teammate Charlie Curnow in the much-hyped season-opener.

Then, another old mate, Sam Docherty, set a cat among the pigeons with his forthright (albeit leaked) views on Carlton's form and issues after yet another fadeout loss.

But amid all the noise, Weitering stood tall when Carlton was under the pump against Richmond, a calming presence as the Blues scraped over the line by just four points.

"It's been probably more of a mental battle than physical battle," Weitering told AFL.com.au after the win over the Tigers. 

"I was pretty flat the Origin game went the way it did, and in the end, the result was obviously a good one, but there was a bit to work through physically and mentally to try and get up for the game against Sydney," 

"I wanted to play (against the Swans) and our medical team somewhat made it possible. Then I was just flat again at the way the result went, but again, some very positive signs out of that first half, and it was great to match up against Charlie for the period that I did. 

"He got a few on me, obviously, but I'm looking forward to that match-up over the next few years."

The Origin injury saw a lengthy on-field delay, as the big man was very cautiously stabilised and taken from the oval on a medical cart and on to hospital. At the time, it was everyone's worst fears about the revitalisation of the concept realised: an injury to a team's crucial player in what is – sentimentality aside – ostensibly an exhibition match.

The vast majority of players had their partners and children travelling with them to Perth as part of the experience, but given Florence had just been born, the Weiterings had opted against it, leaving Isabel watching on the couch on the other side of the country.

"It probably put more stress through the family and my wife than myself, to be honest. I was very fortunate that the result came out the way it did, and I had my mum and dad there to support me," Weitering said.

"There was a little bit of pain. I don't want to give away too much detail, but it was a bit of a different spot to the usual broken ribs. But I'm feeling great now, we've got 17 days off (with a bye) and then it will pretty much be bang-on six weeks for that recovery time for a rib, so I should be flying against Melbourne.

"I don't regret playing Origin at all. I absolutely loved the experience. I'm just flat I couldn't be there for the boys and the celebrations afterwards. I think both teams did a wonderful job to put on the show they did. I think the AFL did a great job to make it quite the event for both the players and fans. If I get an opportunity again, I'd absolutely love to do it."

Weitering was teammates with Docherty for 10 years, the pair forming a key partnership in defence, and he smiled wryly when asked about the retired skipper's forthright views which hit the media in the aftermath of the Blues' loss to Sydney.

"It's a tough one. Like, I'm pretty close mates with him, and 'Crippa' (Patrick Cripps) is the same, but I think 'Vossy' (coach Michael Voss) said it pretty well: we just want to look forward, out with the old, in with the new, somewhat," Weitering said.

"That's culturally, that's game plan, that's new players, coaches, the feeling around the joint. We just didn't want to bring too much baggage from the past, and I think we did a wonderful job – especially the players and the coaches – just to look forward to this game and worry about what we can control. 

"People will have opinions, they have a right to that. There'll probably be a few words towards the end of the season with him, but he's still a close mate, so I'll leave that be. 

"I've had a few conversations with him (post the audio release), but not so much about footy. He's got a daughter (Ruby) and a son (Myles), and I've got a little one at home as well, so we keep it somewhat away from football now, which is nice and probably pleasant for him and refreshing."