The Blues and Giants are set to do battle in a clash that has massive ramifications in the make-up of the top eight.
The Giants (8-7, 108.4%) have slipped outside the eight despite a positive win-loss record, but are in desperate need of a win after a disappointing loss to the Crows last week.
Meanwhile, the Blues (11-4, 118.5%) have emerged as the biggest challenger to the Swans in 2024, having won five games in a row.
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The Giants have lost Josh Kelly and Lachie Ash to injury and have omitted both Callum Brown and Max Gruzewski.
Aaron Cadman, Darcy Jones and James Peatling earn senior recalls, while Joe Fonti will also make his AFL debut.
Carlton have included Tom De Koning after he was managed last week at the expense of Marc Pittonet, while Matthew Cottrell returns from injury, pushing George Hewett out of the starting 23.
This match gets underway at 7.30pm from ENGIE Stadium.
Watch it live on Channel 504 from 7.15pm AEST.
GWS v CARLTON – LIVE UPDATES
There were no late changes for either side at the Sydney Showgrounds, with James Peatling (Giants) and Matthew Owies (Blues) the subs for their respective sides.
Pre-game on Channel 7’s coverage, GWS coach Adam Kingsley confirmed that former Dee Toby Bedford would pay close attention to Carlton star Sam Walsh throughout the night.
“He’ll go to Sam Walsh – we think his score involvements, his connection with his team, his work rate (is) phenomenal, so Toby’s perfectly suited for that – and then we’ll just assess as the game goes on,” Kingsley said.
Blues tagger Alex Cincotta lined up on GWS half-back Lachie Whitfield at the first bounce, with the experienced Giant expected to cop plenty of attention.
Key forward Harry McKay roosted the first major of the night from outside the arc in a positive start for Carlton.
Blues gun ruck Tom De Koning went off early to get strapped up, after rolling his ankle inside the first five minutes.
McKay found himself on the end of a great play through the middle of the ground, marking inside the goal square to kick his second.
Giants skipper Toby Greene answered swiftly though, nailing his set shot from the right forward pocket for his side’s first.
Remarkably though, McKay clunked a big mark in the Blues’ very next inside 50, keeping the margin at 13 points halfway through the first term.
Walsh seemed to be finding the ball enough in the early stages, picking up five touches in the first half of the first term despite a Bedford tag.
Adam Cerra joined McKay on the score sheet, snapping truly on his left side after roving a throw-in expertly.
Young Giants forward Toby McMullin slotted his first goal of 2024 and second in his career, smoking his set shot from outside 50 to cancel out Cerra’s goal only a minute earlier.
Defender-turned-forward Zac Williams pounced on another inside 50 entry of Carlton’s to kick his side’s fifth goal and extend Carlton’s first quarter lead to 20 points.
And only a minute later, Williams kicked his 13th for the year from a 50 metre set shot to leave the Giants desperate for the first term siren.
Carlton captain Patrick Cripps made the most of a free kick handed his way for high contact, booming his set shot from on the 50 – before Williams kicked his third goal for the quarter courtesy of a down-field free kick.
Darcy Jones brought the margin back ever so slightly with a running goal 11 seconds before quarter time, but the alarm bells are absolutely ringing in the ears of Adam Kingsley and his coaches box.
The Blues took a whopping 33-point lead into the first break, with the scoreboard reading: GWS 3.1 (19) trailing Carlton 8.4 (52).
Patrick Cripps led the disposal count for the visitors with 11 touches, while Tom De Koning appeared to shake off any concerns with his ankle to nine disposals and five clearances.
Whatever Kingsley said at quarter time seemed to have worked, as the Giants booted the first four goals of the second stanza to slash the margin back to nine points.
The Orange Tsunami was well and truly back in business.
“Everything Carlton does is under pressure,” Channel 7 commentator Jason Bennett said.
But as he so often does, Carlton captain Patrick Cripps kicked a stabilising goal to give his side some more breathing space.
Orazio Fantasia slotted one just seconds later to take the lead back out to 21 points.
Jesse Hogan landed another blow for the Giants, as star midfielder Tom Green continued to struggle with a persistent blood nose.
Giants tagger Toby Bedford, who has been tasked with nullifying Blues star Sam Walsh, stepped up to get the Giants within eight points.
“Carlton are a bit rattled,” Channel 7 commentator Luke Darcy said.
After trailing by 39 points late in the first term, Jesse Hogan’s goal, the Giants’ seventh for the term, saw the margin reduced to just two points at half-time.
“Are they turning their season around?” Bennett said.
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Source Agencies
