Carlton will hope to continue their push for an unlikely top four spot on Sunday as they welcome back gun defender Mitch McGovern for their clash with the Giants.
The Blues (11-6, 113.4%) can further cement their place in the finals and overcome two games of a host of teams trying to sneak into the bottom half of the eight.
The Giants (5-12, 87.4%) will hope a new ruck set-up – Braydon Preuss and Kieren Briggs return after Matt Flynn’s dismissal – can turn their fortunes around after losing four of their last five games under the ‘interim coach Mark. McVeigh.
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There were no late changes for either side as Jack Newnes (Carlton) and Jake Stein (Giants) were named as medical replacements.
This match kicks off at 1.10pm AEST from Marvel Stadium.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (Channel 504) from 1pm AEST.
QUARTERLY MATCHES REPORT
first quarter
As both teams adjusted to the pace of the game, the Giants struck first when Stephen Coniglio finished off a quick play with a nice running goal.
But Will Setterfield had a quick response for the Blues, scoring a nasty goal from the pocket against his former side.
“I’m not sure that equation adds up to kicking him from that angle… How the hell does he thread the needle?” Fox Footy’s Jason Dunstall said.
Carlton’s pressure, however, was lacking, with the Blues’ pressure rating well below the AFL average at the start of the game.
“They don’t have their heads on at the moment,” Dunstall said.
Jake Riccardi added the Giants’ second to give them an early lead while Toby Greene flew high for a spectacular mark.
But Carlton upped the ante without a footy, leading to Harry McKay’s first goal of the game as the Blues took the lead.
And when Charlie Curnow found space and ran into an open goal, the Blues held on to a 10-point lead at the first change.
Second term
The Giants rallied early in the second period, with the first six inside the 50 in the fourth when Greene converted a field goal.
But Adam Saad took over in the second quarter, providing tremendous midfield runs and super kicks inside 50.
Matt Cottrell was the Blues who benefited the most, scoring two goals from seven shots as the Blues leveled.
The Giants, however, responded again. Greene grabbed the second before Jacob Wehr booted a long-range goal to cut the Blues’ lead to three points at the main break.
third trimester
There were two major injury scares for Carlton at the start of the third term.
Star midfielder Sam Walsh was carried off with an ankle problem, the same ankle he struggled with earlier this year.
Minutes later, star defender Jacob Weitering limped off the ground after getting a hamstring, leaving the Blues vulnerable.
After Jack Silvagni kicked a decisive goal for the Blues, Coniglio responded with a brilliant header from a 50-yard save.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen today,” Fox Footy’s Anthony Hudson said.
But the tide turned for the Blues.
Walsh and Weitering returned to the ground after their respective injuries. Walsh made an immediate impact, setting up McKay’s second goal after Curnow added another. That meant the Blues had jumped to a 17-point lead.
Walsh then sent the ball home, with Josh Honey pouncing on a loose ball to extend the lead to 23 points.
“We’ve just seen the power of Carlton … Amazing display,” two-time premiership Kangaroo David King told Fox Footy.
“That’s powerful.”
Saad then added to his epic highlight reel of the day, climbing high for a spectacular catch.
But a Kieren Briggs goal just before the final change gave the Giants some hope.
fourth quarter
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