CARLTON coach Brett Ratten has expressed his bitter disappointment in the three players who were late to the club's recovery session on Sunday.
Eddie Betts, Cameron Cloke and Jeff Garlett have been handed one-match bans for their actions, with the coach saying they got what they deserved.
"With not much of the season left, we need to make sure we get everything right. They didn't," Ratten said from Visy Park on Wednesday.
"I know they were out late – I don't know exactly what time, but the thing was they turned up extremely late to recovery. If it wasn't for a phone call, I don't know if they would have turned up [at all].
"So they pay the full whack. They let themselves down and their teammates down.
"I think the lesson that's been learned for the three players is you need to do everything right. The game is so hard … if you're one per cent off you lose the game, so we spoke about the one percenters going forward and this was one off-field that we needed to get right."
Ratten said the match committee had no hesitation in handing out the penalties, which received the full backing of the leadership group, despite the Blues facing a crucial clash against Adelaide on Saturday that could mean the difference between a home final or a trip interstate.
Chris Yarran and Dennis Armfield will come into the line-up, with Ratten tossing up between Shaun Hampson and Sam Jacobs to replace Cloke.
Robbie Warnock took another step toward making his club debut, getting through another VFL game last weekend, but Ratten admitted Hampson and Jacobs, who had 45 hit-outs for the Bullants, were in front of the former Fremantle big man at this stage.
Ratten expects this week's inclusions will do their utmost to ensure they won't be dislodged from the line-up in the first week of finals.
Despite his disappointment, Ratten said Betts, Cloke and Garlett would be given the chance to fight for their spots on the training track next week.
"I think the one week off is fair and reasonable," he said. "I think we need to give them a chance to get back into the team, but they fully understand what the expectation is going forward."
The suspension is a particular blow for Cloke, who only won his senior spot back two matches ago after falling out of favour following the round seven loss to Fremantle.
With Setanta O'hAilpin preferred in attack and several others ahead of him in the ruck division, Cloke faced a battle to retain his spot on the list in 2010 even before the indiscretion.
However, Ratten said no final decisions had been made on his future.
"I spoke to Cam and he was upset that he'd let himself down and the team," he said.
"I think his versatility allows him to rebound really quickly, but the ball's in his court."