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The Carlton Blues will take on the Sydney Swans in the latest match of the NAB Challenge on Friday night. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting at 5:50pm AEDT.
2015 was a poor year for Carlton, with the Blues collecting their fourth wooden spoon, and there’s been little in the pre-season games so far to inspire confidence that 2016 will be better. They were held to four goals by Hawthorn in Launceston, and then belted by a weak Essendon side featuring several top-up players.
But there’s some decent quality players in Carlton’s list, and some of them return to the Blues’ lineup for tonight’s clash. Best and fairest winner Patrick Cripps is back in the side. So too is ruckman Matthew Kreuzer, ball magnet Bryce Gibbs and veteran Dale Thomas, all of whom missed the last NAB Challenge game.
But Marc Murphy will again miss, the Blues captain having played no part in the pre-season as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery.
Much of the interest for Carlton will be on Jacob Weitering. The No.1 pick at last year’s draft will be given a tough assignment as he prepares to make his AFL debut, expected to stand in defence against Swans star Lance Franklin. Third-generation Blue Jack Silvagni will be sitting this one out.
The Blues have had plenty of players who have come in from other clubs, and will be giving some of them a run tonight. Former Crow Matthew Wright, Daniel Gorringe formerly of Gold Coast, and ex-Giants Andrew Phillips and Jed Lamb will line up for the Blues tonight.
Draft selection Charlie Curnow, taken later in the draft than expected after some off-field indiscretions, will be looking to put those woes behind him and press his claim for senior selection.
As for Sydney, the Swans’ premiership window may not be open much longer. If the red and white side can’t pick up the cup this year, it could be some time before they do. Adam Goodes and Mike Pike have already hung up the boots, while several others are getting towards the end of their careers.
Last year the Swans dipped out of the finals in straight sets, and they’re no certainties to finish in the top four this season. So far they’ve had mixed results in the pre-season, comfortably defeating Port Adelaide when the heavens opened at Blacktown but never in the contest against a rising GWS Giants side at Drummoyne last week.
Forward Sam Reid and defender Ted Richards will be sitting this game out as they continue their recovery from injury. Luke Parker and Isaac Heeney’s injury scares from early in the pre-season seem to be in the past, and they’ll be playing.
Much of the interest and talking points about the Swans are the big-money forwards Lance Franklin and Kurt Tippett. They’ll both be lining up for the Swans this week, looking to get the combination working that the Swans will be heavily dependent on to maintain a strong ladder position this season.
Midfielder Callum Mills – taken at pick three as an Academy points-matching selection – already looks the part as an AFL-standard player, and he’ll be one to keep an eye on today. So too will small forward Tom Papley, who made a good impression in the last NAB Challenge match and will be looking for more of the same to press his case for senior selection in Round 1.
Ruckman Callum Sinclair will continue to acclimatise himself to his new club after crossing over from West Coast, while the Swans will also welcome the return of prolific ball-winner Josh P Kennedy to the side after he missed the game against the Giants.
Prediction
It’s a stronger side for Carlton than they fielded against Essendon in their last game. But even so, it’s hard to see how the Blues are going to have the firepower to record a competitive score. At the other end, the Swans have plenty of scoring options going their way. I’m predicting an easy Swans win in this match, but there’ll be plenty of players in both teams worth watching.
Join us live on The Roar from 5:50pm AEDT and we’ll bring you all the action as it unfolds.
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