Caleb Marchbank Biography

Just a week after his long-awaited AFL return, Caleb Marchbank is expected to be sidelined for another two months after suffering yet another knee injury.

Marchbank played his first senior game in nearly three years last Friday night, but saw a specialist on Monday after discovering a complaint in his knee. Scans ultimately confirmed a lateral meniscus tear that would require surgery.

Almost three full years to the day since Caleb Marchbank last played at AFL level, Carlton's talented intercept defender will finally make his long-awaited return in a Friday night blockbuster clash with Essendon.

Marchbank last played for Carlton on July 7, 2019, having then suffered a fractured vertebrae in his neck against Melbourne that would rule him out for the remainder of the campaign.

Carlton is hopeful that Caleb Marchbank will begin a modified training program after Christmas, as the injury-plagued defender looks to put a cursed three seasons behind him this summer.

Marchbank hasn't played a senior game for the Blues since July 2019, injuring his knee in the first quarter of his return at VFL level last season having already been plagued by a fracture of his vertebrae, bone bruising to his knee and a calf problem.

The injuries have restricted the former Greater Western Sydney star, who was the sixth selection in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft before being traded to Carlton in 2016, to just 48 games in his seven years on an AFL list.

Caleb Marchbank signs a new two-year deal to remain at Carlton until the end of 2022.

Marchbank has not featured at AFL level in 2020 due to persistent bone bruising in his knee but is seen as a key part of the club's rise under Blues coach David Teague.

Caleb Marchbank will miss the remainder of the 2019 season after suffering a non-displaced fracture of a vertebra at the base of his neck against Melbourne from a knee to the back of his head.

"Our main focus is ensuring we look after his wellbeing and give him sufficient time to recover to get back to his best," Carlton's high-performance boss Andrew Russell said.

"An injury like this is able to heal naturally without surgery which is a positive, allowing Caleb to be fully fit when he returns for pre-season training."

Caleb Marchbank is taken to hospital with an elevated heart rate after missing most of the last quarter for the Blues against the Lions.

"I don't really understand it fully but he's OK … there was some raised heart beat going on," Blues coach Brendon Bolton said.

"So I don't really understand that. The doctor said he's OK so he's off to hospital now to get checked."

Caleb Marchbank is set to miss the next four weeks with an ankle injury.

Marchbank came from the ground midway through the first term of the Blues' 24-point loss to Collingwood, returning to play some of the second quarter before sitting out the entire second half.

"There's not a whole lot of damage there thankfully but he will be out for around four weeks," Carlton football manager Andrew McKay said.

"[His return date] will depend on his level of pain tolerance when he makes his way back into the skills program."

Caleb Marchbank is set to miss the next month after scans revealed a hairline fracture in his right shoulder.

"Recent scans have revealed a hairline fracture of his scapula, meaning Caleb is expected to miss the next three-to-four weeks of football," Carlton head of football Andrew McKay said.

"The good news is it is stable, so he won't require surgery. While it is disappointing for both us and Caleb, we are confident we will welcome him back to the field well and truly before the end of the season."

Caleb Marchbank earns the round 6 NAB AFL Rising Star nomination after gathering 21 disposals and 10 marks in the Blues' 19-point victory over Sydney.

"I didn’t even realise I was eligible to get nominated, so it came as a bit of a surprise," Marchbank said.

"I'm just really happy about playing footy again and it's nice to get that continuity in performances and games.

"I'm happy with how I'm going and I've settled into the club well. The boys are really good and we're keen to build on our performance at the weekend."

Caleb Marchbank says having full-back of the century Stephen Silvagni as a big fan has done wonders for his confidence.

Silvagni has long been an admirer of Marchbank, recruiting the key defender to Greater Western Sydney when he was the club’s list manager back in 2014.

Now holding the same position at Carlton, Silvagni played a major role in luring Marchbank to Ikon Park after the Benalla product played just seven games across two injury-interrupted seasons with the Giants.

“SOS watches us during training and he’s always there if you want to ask him a question about body position or anything like that,” Marchbank said.

'He’s someone I’ve learnt from during the pre-season. It’s good to have him on your side, he gives you plenty of confidence.”

Caleb Marchbank says the potential for success with the Giants made it difficult for him to decide to move back to Victoria and join Carlton.

"It played with my head a lot because the boys up at the Giants and the coaching staff were really good," Marchbank said.

"I had to factor in the potential success that they're going to have. There are no guarantees in footy but I think they thought if I worked hard enough and worked on my game that I was hopefully going to find a spot there.

"It was a difficult decision but eventually I decided I wanted to move home."

Carlton has landed three more Giants in a pair of last-minute trades.

The Blues bolstered their developing list by snaring Greater Western Sydney key defender Caleb Marchbank, small forward Jarrod Pickett and, in a separate deal, experienced mid-sized forward Rhys Palmer.

Remarkably, the Blues secured 122-gamer Palmer with round-eight draft pick No.135 in November's NAB AFL Draft.

The Blues claimed youngsters Marchbank and Pickett, along with the Giants' 2017 second-round selection, in exchange for picks No.45 and 58, and their 2017 first-round pick.

The major prize was promising backman Marchbank, the No.6 pick in the 2014 draft who played seven games in two seasons with the Giants.

The 19-year-old from Benalla played the opening two games this year but didn't return to AFL level due to ankle and shoulder injuries. His most recent game was in the NEAFL in round 16.

The lively Pickett, 20, is yet to make his AFL debut after two years at the Giants, and his 2016 season was ruined by a long-term foot injury.

Fellow West Australian Palmer, 27, lands at his third club, having played 53 games for Fremantle from 2008-11 and 69 games for the Giants.

Caleb Marchbank nominates Carlton as his preferred destination after requesting a trade from the Giants earlier in the month.

Caleb Marchbank requests a trade from GWS with three clubs believed to be in the running to secure his services i.e. Carlton, St Kilda and Essendon.

The 19-year-old has struggled with homesickness for much of his two seasons in western Sydney, and was open with GWS this year about potentially wanting to move back to Victoria.

It is believed the Giants recently asked Marchbank to make a call on his future given the injured defender won't be a part of their inaugural finals campaign.

Caleb Marchbank walks out on the Giants and has requested a move via this year's trade period.

Caleb Marchbank has been ruled out for the rest of the season after dislocating his shoulder in the NEAFL in round 16.

Marchbank consulted two separate specialists in a search for some good news over the past week, but surgery was deemed unavoidable.

"This is disappointing news for a young player like Caleb but with his long-term welfare in mind, this is the best course of action to take," Giants' head of athletic performance, David Joyce, said.

"It's been a difficult season for Caleb but we're confident he'll make a full recovery in a matter of months."

Caleb Marchbank is awaiting the results of scans after suffering a dislocated shoulder in the NEAFL on Sunday.

The injury continues a run of bad luck for the 19-year-old who has played a total of just five games in the AFL and NEAFL this season after injuring his ankle in round two against Geelong.

The injury occurred in a marking contest as the Giants took on the Brisbane Lions reserves at Coorparoo.

Caleb Marchbank is set to miss up to seven weeks with an ankle injury.

Marchbank rolled his ankle in the Giants' round two win over Geelong at Manuka oval, and re-injured himself after returning ahead of schedule in the reserves at Spotless Stadium on Saturday.

The athletic defender hobbled from the ground in the second half and received treatment from GWS medical staff, and although he returned to the field shortly after, was limping significantly.

Caleb Marchbank makes his AFL debut for GWS with 9 disposals (6 kicks and 3 handballs), 5 marks and a tackle in a 56-point loss to North Melbourne.

GWS coach Leon Cameron says Caleb Marchbank will make his debut for the Giants in round 12 against North Melbourne this week.

"He's a terrific young kid, he's got a really competitive attitude," Cameron said.

"He likes to fly for his marks, he spoils really well. He's very courageous in the air and his performances have been getting better and better."

GWS select Caleb Marchbank with pick No.6 at the 2014 NAB AFL Draft.

"Caleb is a defender who can play forward and go through the midfield," Giants list manager Stephen Silvagni said.

"He reads the ball really well, can play tall and small and has good speed. He's got a bit of versatility which we like."

A back injury sidelined draft prospect Caleb Marchbank for most of 2013, but he made up for lost time with a promising draft season.

Marchbank played the first two games of the Murray Bushrangers' TAC Cup season last year and in the second encounter was kneed in the back. It left him with stress fractures, and kept him out of action for six months.

A long rehabilitation process meant Marchbank entered this season feeling confident in his body, and he was able to piece together an impressive block of form in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships for Vic Country.

He won All Australian honours, and was hoping to carry that form into the end of the TAC Cup season before a knee injury ruled him out of the end of the season.

He missed the national combine with the injury but is expected to be back running by the time of November's draft.