Carlton coach Mick Malthouse says a neck fracture to Blues defender Simon White is a reminder of the fragility of footballers and the importance of AFL rules protecting them.

White will wear a neck brace for the next eight weeks after fracturing a vertebrae in his neck while playing in the VFL on the weekend.

He’s expected to return next season and Malthouse said given White heard a crunch or crack when the incident occurred, the outcome could have been worse.

He referred to former Geelong VFL player Casey Tutungi, who has been diagnosed a quadriplegic as a result of an incident in June in the Geelong Football League.

“These are the sort of injuries we dread,” Malthouse said.

“Simon’s semi-lucky, I guess, it could have been worse but fortunately in a club environment like this we’re able to look at it and get him right.

“He’ll be right for next year.”

Malthouse said White was likely to spend the coming weeks thinking about what might have been.

“It’s a real reminder how fragile (players are) sometimes. We think we’re big and strong and we see the players they do weights and they’ve got size about them,” Malthouse said.

“Hit in the wrong area at the wrong time and these things can have a very very poor prognosis.

“In this case he’s going to come up okay.”