Midfielder Andrew Carrazzo will be sidelined for between 6 and 8 weeks after fracturing his shoulder blade (scapula) during Saturday’s match against Essendon at the MCG.

Carrazzo underwent surgery today to repair the shoulder blade that was injured in an incident early in the first quarter of the game. He immediately left the ground and was taken to Epworth Hospital by ambulance with his arm in a sling.

After tests at the hospital he returned to the MCG after the game on Saturday to spend time with his team-mates before going home.

Carrazzo has been in tremendous form in 2012 in his important role in the Carlton midfield. His ability to restrict the opposition while getting plenty of the football himself and creating opportunities for his team-mates was a key to the Blues three victories to start the season.

In round one Carrazzo started on Richmond’s Dustin Martin before switching onto Trent Cotchin who had plenty of the ball in the first quarter. He shut Cotchin down and then in round two he restricted Brisbane’s Simon Black at the ‘Gabba while continuing to provide plenty of attack for Carlton.

However it was in round three that the football media started talking Carrazzo up when he was voted best on ground for his role on Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury while again giving Carlton plenty of drive in the midfield.

That infamous saying, “a week is a long time in football”, could not be more appropriate than for Andrew Carrazzo who enjoyed a best on ground performance and the applause of the football world one week, to a nasty injury in the opening minutes taking him out of the game and a lengthy stint on the sidelines the next.

Jeremy Laidler (knee), Chris Yarran (toe) and Ed Curnow (ankle) were other casualties from Saturday’s match against the Bombers.