CARLTON ruckman Matthew Kreuzer will take his first steps towards an AFL return on Saturday when he plays in a VFL intra club match at Ikon Park.
Sidelined since knee surgery in January, the unrestricted free agent will take part in his first competitive hitout of the year in the Northern Blues trial.
With Andrew Phillips to face Sydney on Saturday at Marvel Stadium and back-up Matthew Lobbe named an emergency, Kreuzer will attempt to prove he's ready for a round four return.
"We've got a bit of an intra club here on the weekend, he'll play some game time then and see where he is," coach Brendon Bolton said on Friday morning.
"Now he's in the game phase mode which we're happy about, it's getting enough game time into him before we play him."
With Charlie Curnow to miss through injury, Levi Casboult earns an AFL reprieve that will see him partner Phillips in the ruck against Swan Callum Sinclair.
The move will allow Harry McKay to focus on an almost permanent role in attack.
Despite Casboult being named for his first match since round 18 last year and preparing to come out of contract at season's end, Bolton denied it was his last chance at the level.
"It's a marathon, the year," Bolton said.
"To try and put a red line or answer that question in the first three or four rounds would be foolish from a coach, or anyone.
"The whole year answers those sorts of questions.
"Levi's determined to go well. He's been out of the side in the last month, so he's keen to put his hand up. It won't be defining in the next few weeks, that'd be crazy."
Bolton said Liam Jones and Jacob Weitering would share the task on Lance Franklin, with Lachie Plowman and the returning Caleb Marchbank to play on a variety of opponents.
When quizzed on whether it was a good time to play the 0-2 Swans on the Blues' home ground, Bolton wouldn't be drawn on the prospects of a breakthrough victory.
"I wouldn't ever, in the history of Sydney, go into that space," he said.
"I'm not that silly. We've got to respect Sydney. Look at the finals history, year-on-year."
