Promising Carlton tall Jacob Weitering is set to remain in defence for Sunday's clash with North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.
Veteran Sam Rowe suffered a torn ACL in his right knee against Fremantle last week and will miss the rest of the season so the Blues must seek other options.
Weitering, 19, played in defence against the Dockers but has often been used in attack this season.
The Blues have just three players who average at least a goal per week – Levi Casboult, Matthew Wright and Jack Silvagni – and have scored fewer points than any other team in the competition this year.
Coach Brendon Bolton confirmed at Ikon Park on Saturday where the No.1 draft pick from 2015 would line up.
"He'll play backline this week," Bolton said.
Weitering has booted seven goals from nine games this year.
The Kangaroos have a couple of dangerous key forwards in Ben Brown and Jarrad Waite.
Brown, 24, is sitting sixth in the Coleman Medal and is coming off a five-goal effort against Melbourne last week. And former Blue Waite's six-goal performance against Adelaide earlier this month also has Bolton wary.
"We think Weitering can play and hold his own down back, we know Alex Silvagni is playing some good footy but more importantly, it's about winning it around the contest so they don't get easy access," the coach said.
Forgotten big man Liam Jones would have bolstered the backline had it not been for an ankle injury in final minutes of last Saturday's VFL clash against Sandringham at Preston City Oval.
"He would've played, undeniably. He was in some really good form," Bolton said of Jones.