Carlton must beat the Western Bulldogs this afternoon to keep pressure on eighth-placed Port Adelaide. We’ll have live scores from 4.40pm AEST.
With ASADA’s findings now being processed by the AFL, a potential points penalty could see Essendon possibly fall out of the top eight, which would open the door for ninth-placed Carlton.
But for now that is an intangible that Blues coach Michael Malthouse cannot control, and for now all that matters is for Carlton to keep picking up wins.
With Richmond, Essendon and Port Adelaide to follow for Carlton this evening represents the most ‘straight-forward’ of their remaining matches.
Carlton jumped out to an early lead against the Dockers last Saturday night but were steadily reeled in by Ross Lyon’s men, and from half-time the game seemed to have an air of inevitability around it as Fremantle simply stepped up their intensity.
Malthouse has made four changes to the side that lost at Etihad Stadium, with two of them enforced. Andrew Carrazzo and Matthew Kreuzer are both unavailable with calf injuries, while Mitch Robinson and Kane Lucas have been omitted.
Jarrad Waite leads the list of inclusions as he returns from a knee problem, while Rob Warnock, Troy Menzel and Josh Bootsma all come back in from the VFL.
Brendon McCartney’s Bulldogs have shown signs in the past month that will give red, white and blue supporters hope going into 2014.
Wins over GWS and West Coast have been complemented with competitive losses against Essendon and Sydney.
The Bulldogs have made three changes with Easton Wood playing his first game since Round 3, while Liam Jones and Mark Austin all return.
Michael Talia and Jack Macrae are out with general soreness and Lachie Hunter has been rested.
The two sides haven’t yet met this season, and in fact have only played each other five times in the past five years, with the Blues winning three of those contests, including in 18-point win in Round 17 last season.
The Bulldogs should be competitive this afternoon but the stakes are too high for Carlton to turn in a poor performance, and the Blues should get the four points.
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