Carlton coach Brett Ratten says the Blues will end up benefitting from their current AFL injury and suspension crisis regardless of where they finish this season.

Carlton notched a fighting 16.6 (102) to 12.12 (84) win over the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Friday night, coming back from 25 points down to keep themselves in touch with the top eight.

But Ratten warned they were likely to have to field a similarly makeshift team against Richmond on Saturday night and the young and fringe players who stepped up against the Dogs would have to keep performing.

He said key forward Jarrad Waite was still not ready for an AFL comeback.

Suspended captain Chris Judd, fellow midfielder Kade Simpson, forward Andrew Walker, ruckman Shaun Hampson and defender Jeremy Laidler will certainly still be out, while there is uncertainty over Matthew Kreuzer (hip), Lachie Henderson (groin) and Mitch Robinson (calf).

It means ruckman Robbie Warnock, who has served a VFL suspension, might be the only notable inclusion against the Tigers.

“It’s going to be challenging, but I think what you can do is (not) drop your standards or expectations as a leader or as a football club,” Ratten told reporters.

“We all ran out there at the start of the year with 45, 46 players, depending on your rookies, so we all had the same.

“Through circumstances, our run has been a lot different to some of the other teams, but that’s no excuse for us.

“Whatever happens in the next six weeks, wherever we end up, we’ll be a lot better as a football club to go through these experiences.

“You find out a lot about yourself.”

Ratten said he would continue to deliver his team the simple message that each player had to perform their role the best they could.

“Regardless of who pulls on the navy blue guernsey, they have a responsibility to the football club, to their teammates, to the supporters,” he said.

“We won’t change whether it’s a first-gamer or a bloke playing 300-odd games.”