CARLTON coach Brett Ratten has thrown his support behind recruit Sam Rowe, who has been diagnosed with stage one testicular cancer.

With weeks of chemotherapy and recovery ahead of him, Rowe is unlikely to play football again this season, but Ratten said the 24-year-old had Carlton's ongoing support.

In a statement released on Thursday, Carlton said Rowe faced six weeks of treatment.

"The tumour has been removed and Sam will now undergo chemotherapy for six weeks to ensure a complete cure," the statement said.

Ratten went further in a press conference on Thursday, saying it may not be until pre-season that Rowe gets back to training.

"We expect him to make a full recovery and go through some chemo and things like that that he has to go through in the next six to nine weeks," Ratten said.

"When he has that treatment he'll take another six to nine weeks to overcome the effects of that then move on, but we're behind Sam and we expect him to make a full recovery."

Ratten said an emotional Rowe addressed Carlton's playing group on Thursday morning.

"We had to work with Sam and chat to Sam in regards to how he wanted to address the group and this morning he felt comfortable and spoke to the group before he goes in for some chemo.

"There have been a lot of people around him, especially Andrew McKay and the doc, he's had people around him to work behind the scenes in regards to his own mental state to deal with this.

"He's a great kid, he's got a great outlook on life, and his girl is here and his family has come down from New South Wales … he's got a lot of people around him.

"He was quite emotional this morning, but the people around him and the support he'll get will just be ongoing.

"We expect him to get through and then get ready to start pre-season which he's already looking at getting himself right for."

Rowe was selected by Carlton with pick 44 in last year's NAB AFL Draft.

The ruckman/forward was rookie listed by the Sydney Swans in 2006, but between 2008 and 2011 played 86 games for Norwood in the SANFL.