GWS Giants vs Carlton Blues: AFL live scores

The GWS Giants are looking to bounce back from last week’s thrilling draw with a win over the travelling Carlton Blues. Stay up to date with this Saturday night AFL clash right here on The Roar with live scores from 7:25pm (AEST).

Bizarre as it might seem given it was against the last-placed North Melbourne, the Giants’ Round 13 draw was essentially as good as a win. The result takes their poor percentage all but out of the equation in the run home, and with crosstown rivals to Sydney losing to Hawthorn in another shock result, plans of a late charge to the finals remain on track.

Still, they’ll have to be far better than they were last week against the likely wooden spooners to get close. The Giants spotted the Roos a 28-point three quarter time lead, and while they motored from there to be one slightly more accurate Daniel Lloyd kick away from an incredible win, they won’t want to be doing that too many times.

For the Blues, the bye has at least done them some good when it came to the selection table. Nic Newman and Harry McKay, who both suffered concussions in their Round 12 loss to West Coast, have both recovered enough to be named. McKay’s form has seen him become one of the leading forwards in the competition in 2021, and his signature for a further two years will have gladdened the hearts of Blues fans.

However, things are far from rosy for David Teague and his men. Their lost to a depleted Eagles outfit before the bye was a culmination of a first half of the year dominated by loss after loss to the AFL’s better sides. Time and again the Blues have been given the opportunity to make a statement of intent for a first finals berth since 2013, and time and again they have failed to grasp it.

Sitting fourteenth with a 4-8 record, finals are all but off the table now for the Blues, but any lingering chance they have would be snuffed out with a loss here to a fellow hopeful from outside the eight.

Both sides have made changes aplenty at the selection table. The Giants welcome back former captain Phil Davis for his first match since Round 3; expect him to head straight to McKay at the opening bounce. Half-back Harry Perryman is also a welcome return, but veteran ruckman Shane Mumford’s absence is a major blow. Remarkably, the Giants are 0-5 in 2021 without ‘big Mummy’ in the team.

As for the Blues, former captain Marc Murphy has once again been dropped as he begins to fall behind some emerging youngsters for spots in the 2022. Two of those, Lachie Fogarty and Luke Parkers, have returned, while former Giant Matthew Kennedy is back, replacing another former Giant in Will Setterfield.

Game information

Opening bounce: 7:25pm (AEST)
Venue: Giants Stadium, Sydney
TV: Fox Footy, Channel Seven (VIC/SA/TAS/NT), 7mate (NSW/WA)
Live stream: Kayo Sports, Foxtel Now, Foxtel Go
Betting: Giants $1.60, Blues $2.34 (odds via PlayUp)

Teams

GWS Giants
B: 44 Jack Buckley, 1 Phil Davis, 50 Sam Reid
HB: 36 Harry Perryman, 19 Nick Haynes, 13 Isaac Cumming
C: 6 Lachie Whitfield, 8 Callan Ward, 22 Josh Kelly
HF: 24 Matt de Boer, 27 Harry Himmelberg, 31 Jeremy Finlayson
F: 4 Toby Greene (c), 32 Kieren Briggs, 38 Daniel Lloyd
FOLL: 30 Matt Flynn, 14 Tim Taranto, 2 Jacob Hopper
INT: 12 Tom Green, 37 Ian Hill, 39 Connor Idun, 40 Adam Kennedy
EMG: 7 Lachie Ash, 10 Jacob Wehr, 26 Jake Riccardi, 33 Xavier O’Halloran
IN: Harry Perryman, Kieren Briggs, Phil Davis
OUT: Jake Stein, Lachie Ash, Shane Mumford

Carlton Blues
B: 13 Liam Stocker, 14 Liam Jones, 6 Zac Williams
HB: 26 Luke Parks, 23 Jacob Weitering, 42 Adam Saad
C: 18 Sam Walsh, 9 Patrick Cripps (c), 15 Sam Docherty (c)
HF: 21 Jack Martin, 1 Jack Silvagni, 8 Lachie Fogarty
F: 44 Matthew Owies, 10 Harry McKay, 19 Eddie Betts
FOLL: 27 Marc Pittonet, 35 Ed Curnow, 2 Paddy Dow
INT: 7 Matthew Kennedy, 12 Tom De Koning, 24 Nic Newman, 25 Zac Fisher
EMG: 4 Lochie O’Brien, 32 Jack Newnes, 33 Sam Ramsay, 41 Levi Casboult
IN: Luke Parks, Lachie Fogarty, Matthew Kennedy
OUT: Marc Murphy, Matthew Cottrell, Will Setterfield