CARLTON has received a huge boost ahead of Thursday night's crucial game against West Coast with key players Andrew Carrazzo and Heath Scotland cleared to return from injury.

Carrazzo has been missing since he fractured a shoulder blade in round four, while Scotland missed last week's loss to Geelong with a calf injury.

Neither was expected to be available before next week's bye, but Ratten said both would be named in the 22 and would play barring any late mishaps.

"That's the plan [for Carrazzo] - same with Scotland as well," Ratten said from Melbourne airport on Tuesday.

"We've brought our three emergencies because it's a Thursday night game, so if anyone doesn't pull up well or whatever, we'll replace them, but hopefully [if things go] to plan Scotland and Carrazzo play.

"Andrew was touch and go whether he played this week or next week in the reserves ... he's ahead of schedule - just - by a few days but that gives him the opportunity to play.

"Scotland is one who we thought was out for two to three weeks, [but] it's pulled up a lot better. Scans, the second time around, revealed it's not so bad, so he's a chance to play as well."

Ratten said Carrazzo had been taking part in full contact training drills for almost two weeks and had been in a running program for five to six weeks.

"He should be right to go I think," Ratten added.

News of the key pair's possible return will be music to the coach's ears after a horror run with injury that has seen players of the calibre of Marc Murphy, Jarrad Waite and Chris Yarran sidelined for extended periods in the first half of the season.

Robert Warnock was subbed out of last week's 12-point loss to Geelong with a sore hip, but Ratten expects him to take his place in the side.

The Blues, who have suffered four losses in the past five weeks, are desperate to arrest their slide, but face a tough task coming off a six-day break against the Eagles who have just had their bye.

However, Ratten saw enough in the performance against the Cats to go into the clash confident of turning the team's fortunes around.

"Has the script gone to plan? No it hasn't, but I think we have to adjust," he said.

"I think the way the players played was exactly how we want to be perceived and the way we want to be looked at as a football team.

"I thought they had a real dip and a real crack. You do that some weeks and you lose and that was one of those weeks."

Perth has been experiencing a run of wet weather in the lead up to the game, but Ratten said it was unlikely the conditions would be bad enough to affect his thinking on team selection.