Injury-ravaged Carlton and GWS will face off in a Saturday blockbuster at Marvel Stadium, with dual All-Australian Leigh Montagna predicting Blues heartbreak for a second straight week.
The Blues (4-1, 117.1%) will be without star trio Adam Cerra, Adam Saad and Mitch McGovern due to injury, while the Giants (5-0, 144%) will be without Sam Taylor and Stephen Coniglio.
Speaking on Fox Footy’s Give Me Something, Montagna predicted the Blues – who have been involved in matches decided by 10 points or less eight times in their past 11 games – would lose another nailbiter.
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“They’ve been on the right side of the ledger – they were seven-and-zip in those close games before the loss to Adelaide – but I think they’ll lose another close game by inside 10 points,” Montagna told Give Me Something.
“It’ll just start to get them nervy with a run to come of the Cats, Collingwood, Melbourne and Sydney away.”
The match gets underway at 4:35pm from Marvel Stadium.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), streaming on Kayo and via Hubbl from 4:30pm.
ROLLING MATCH UPDATES
Final teams are in for today’s twilight clash at Marvel Stadium. There are no late changes, with Jack Carroll (Carlton) and James Peatling (GWS) the starting substitutes.
Peatling, GWS’ last-minute hero last week against St Kilda, was the sub in that game and remains in that role today.
The Blues and Giants are feeling each other out at the moment, as we’re without a major more than five minutes in.
Brent Daniels snagged the first goal of the game with a neat set shot.
“When they win possession of the ball, they are gone,” Fox Footy’s David King said of GWS’ lethal counter-punch transition.
The Giants’ potent transition resulted in another goal, this time for Jesse Hogan.
Matthew Owies kicked Carlton’s first major from a set shot, before a nifty left-footed snap by Matt Cottrell added to Carlton’s tally.
A pinpoint Jake Riccardi snap levelled the scores at 19 with six minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Two more Blues goals helped establish a buffer at quarter-time, leading by six points after a late Toby Bedford response.
“Carlton have dominated this quarter,” King said, with the Blues registering 16 more contested possessions and seven more clearances than the Giants.
GWS star Tom Green has asserted himself physically to begin Saturday’s bout.
“This is what we’re after today! This is combat,” caller Anthony Hudson exclaimed as Green crashed into a contest to start the second quarter.
Three GWS goals — including a trademark left-footed beauty from Josh Kelly — helped implement a 10-point lead.
Two more goals, through Bedford and Aaron Cadman, made in six on the trot for GWS, who extended its lead to 21 points halfway through the quarter.
“This is a big resurgence,” King said. “They were on the rack early; Carlton was all over them.
“They’ve just found a way to lock the ball in their forward half and build the pressure on Carlton to bring it out.
“This is where they’re so good, denying the opposition their ball movement and getting those repeat inside-50 opportunities.
“It’s Disneyland inside their front half at the moment, everything they touch turns to gold.”
The Blues issues a much-needed response, though, reducing their deficit to nine points at the main change. Tom De Koning’s exceptional finish was a highlight:
At half-time, the Giants had registered four goals to Carlton’s one from the back half, exemplifying the transition dominance of Adam Kingsley’s Orange Tsunami.
Jacob Weitering (corky) appears to be OK, but Zac Williams (Achilles) was substituted out of the game at half-time. Jack Carroll into the action.
The Blues say Williams suffered “a knock” to his Achilles.
Halfway through the third term it was a goal apiece, until Josh Kelly slammed home another to extend his team’s lead to 14 points.
Almost immediately after, Kelly slotted his third major from a set shot to make it a 20-point difference.
Back-to-back goals from Carlton’s twin towers kept the Blues within touching distance, behind just eight points with eight minutes left in Q3.
Another two from Curnow and McKay, remarkably, put Carlton ahead by four!
“This is a big surge from Carlton,” said Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall on the Fox Footy broadcast.
“They’re swarming here, Carlton. They’ve got a taste,” Hudson said.
Curnow snaps another! He’s got three in the quarter!
“This place has erupted!” exclaimed Hudson.
“Charlie and Harry have officially caught fire, and they must be extinguished by the Giants soon, or they’ll be away!”
The Blues, incredibly, led by 15 points at three-quarter-time!
Corey Durdin kicked the first goal of the final quarter to instil a game-high 20-point advantage.
Superstar GWS captain Toby Greene could be in MRO strife … again.
Greene collided mid-air with Carlton’s Jordan Boyd and appeared to brace for contact as his shoulder made contact with the Blue’s head.
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Source Agencies
