Carlton will have to combat AFL star forwards Jack Riewoldt, Barry Hall and Travis Cloke without their best defender, Michael Jamison.

The Blues' fullback will miss four matches with a knee injury, adding to the pain of Sunday's 36-point upset defeat by West Coast at Etihad Stadium.

Scans on Monday showed Jamison, who was subbed off shortly before halftime, had torn the meniscus in his left knee.

He will have surgery on Tuesday, with the Blues expecting to lose him for their next four games against Richmond, the Western Bulldogs, Collingwood and Essendon.

Midfielder Heath Scotland said Jamison's absence will hurt the defence, but the key to coping is to show greater defensive intensity and teamwork than they did against the Eagles.

"We've got a strong game plan that we believe in and someone will come up and get their opportunity to play fullback and do the role," Scotland said.

"We've just got to give them more support.

"I think we allowed West Coast yesterday to have too many one-on-one contests, or marking contests with their big tall forwards, and we didn't get back and support our backmen as much."

Before losing to the Eagles, the Blues' only defeat in their previous eight games was by two points to unbeaten Geelong.

Scotland said one poor game was no disaster, but demonstrated Carlton's vulnerability if the intensity - their hallmark this year - decreased even slightly.

"It's hard to say there was a lack of effort because we always go out there and try," he said.

"But I think that the fact that we weren't playing with the intensity or pressure that we have in previous weeks, it just shows when you're five per cent off your game, we're not good enough."

Scotland said the bigger issue is how they rebound against the Tigers on Saturday at the MCG.

"They're always big games, close games, and it's one we'll be looking forward to, as I'm sure Richmond will be," he said.

"There's no quick fix. We've just got to come out this week and apply ourselves like we have in previous weeks and respond."

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