THERE couldn't have been a worse time for Carlton to lose its captain.

With a two-match suspension for skipper Patrick Cripps upheld at the AFL Tribunal on Tuesday night, the Blues' options to replace their talismanic leader are slim heading into the club's most pivotal fortnight in a decade.

With his side's finals chances on the line, coach Michael Voss will carefully consider his options in finding an alternative to Cripps' leadership and bullish contested and clearance work out of the middle.

But they may be few and far between.

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Matt Kennedy is expected to miss another week as he recovers from a fractured jaw, while gun recruit George Hewett is no certainty to return this year as he continues to battle a frustrating back problem that has plagued his last month.

Already, those injuries – in addition to the long-term absences of players like David Cuningham, Ed Curnow and Zac Williams this season – have forced Carlton to delve into its reserves to find replacements throughout the campaign.

But with Cripps now joining them on the sidelines ahead of crucial fixtures against top-four hopefuls Melbourne and Collingwood, likely needing at least one win to guarantee a September berth, the club is running out of options.

Its VFL program had a bye last week, meaning there is no exposed form to pick from in the reserves, while Paddy Dow's consistency at that level had already been rewarded with selection last weekend. He was one of few out-and-out midfielders available.

Lachie Fogarty has spent much of the year out of favour, but has enjoyed an impressive run of form in the VFL to average 29.3 disposals and six tackles per game over his last month and emerge as one potential Cripps replacement.

But, like Dow, even he has found earning senior selection difficult this season – starting just two games, his last on April 10 – and being used as a pressure small forward option on the rare occasions when called upon.

Teenage midfielder Jack Carroll is another to consider, having enjoyed a solid five-match stretch in the AFL side earlier in the year where he averaged 13.2 disposals. But even his last appearance was on May 29. Selection would be unlikely.

Then there's the chance Voss opts to flip the magnets. Liam Stocker's return from the League's 12-day concussion protocols could be crucial to this, even if the former first-round pick is unlikely to play in the midfield himself.

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Stocker's potential return to a defensive role could enable Jack Newnes to move back to a wing, therefore freeing up Will Setterfield to play as a more natural inside midfielder as Cripps' primary replacement.

After reclaiming his place in the senior side thanks to a good stretch of form playing as a pure onballer at VFL level, averaging 36.3 disposals across a three-game run, Setterfield has again been shifted onto a wing for the Blues.

He hasn't had a single centre bounce attendance since returning to the AFL team for its round 19 clash with Greater Western Sydney, but could thrive with more midfield time in his captain's absence.

Will Hayes, used on a wing during his first AFL start for Carlton last month before himself earning a two-match suspension for a sling tackle, is another that could help Setterfield gain more midfield time if Newnes is preferred to Stocker down back.

With both Kennedy and Hewett unavailable for last week's trip to the Gabba to face Brisbane, it was Zac Fisher (11 centre bounce involvements) and Dow (nine involvements) who stepped up to help fill the void.

There, they helped a midfield that otherwise consisted primarily of Sam Walsh and Adam Cerra (25 involvements each). But it was Cripps who led the way, as he always does, enjoying a team-high 29 involvements.

Finding a replacement will therefore be key to the Blues keeping their fading finals hopes alive in crucial clashes against the Demons and the Magpies. Who Voss turns to will ultimately be the biggest selection decision of his career at Ikon Park to date.