MATTHEW Kreuzer is eyeing greater time in the ruck next season, having recovered from knee surgery and a cyst that caused numbness down one side of his body.

Kreuzer returned in round 12 last season from a knee reconstruction but struggled to find his groove. He was forced out of the finals because of the cyst in a calf that flared in the final round.

''It wasn't a major concern, but it was a little cyst in my leg that was blocking the blood. I just had no feeling in the leg when I was running,'' Kreuzer said yesterday.

''I had to have four weeks off. Hopefully it has gone away now and stays away.''

Kreuzer said he had been training strongly and hopes to play more in the ruck this season alongside Robbie Warnock after a post-season chat with coach Brett Ratten.

''I have got confidence in the knee now. Hopefully I can get back there [in the ruck] with a little bit of time up forward,'' he told Carlton TV.

■ Essendon forward Michael Hurley has been sidelined with a minor hamstring strain and is expected to return to full training by the start of February.

■ Port Adelaide defender Alipate Carlile has a hamstring injury and is expected to sit out the next three weeks.