The game as it stands
Back on the road.
Carlton has travelled up to Queensland to face Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon, aiming to solidify a top-eight spot in the process.
With Harry McKay back in the fold and a strong team performance last week to back up, plenty is riding on the Blues’ performance in Round 23.
Matt Cottrell and David Cuningham will both play their 50th AFL games, while the Suns will be looking to finish their season on a strong note in their final home game of the campaign.
Gold Coast currently sits fourth in the league for clearances per game and - led by co-captain Jarrod Witts - third in hitouts, meaning the midfield game is going to be where the game is won and lost.
Key match up
In the centre of the Suns’ midfield dominance is Matt Rowell, with the 22-year-old jet leading the team’s clearances per game.
On the opposing side, the reigning Brownlow Medallist Patrick Cripps leads Carlton’s clearances and is key in the way the Blues move the ball out of the middle. The captain's leadership has been exemplary in recent months, averaging 13 contested possessions, eight clearances and six tackles over his last seven games.
As the two big-bodied mids look to battle it out in the centre, it's just one element of a crucial midfield battle which will dictate the Round 23 clash.
Player to watch
George Hewett had a dominant game last week, and the 27-year-old will want to back up that performance.
With a few key outs, Hewett - along with Cripps - will take the brunt of the physicality in the contest and use his physicality to gain the ascendancy against the Suns. The Blues will once again need a squad mentality and a number of contributors to step up, with the likes of Adam Cerra, Matt Kennedy and Sam Walsh missing from the last time these two sides met.
Goss from Voss
AFL Senior Coach Michael Voss is aware of the damage the Suns can bring – especially on their home turf.
As the opposition looks to end their season on a high in a search for a club record amount of wins, Voss said that his Carlton team needed to be able to take away their strengths.
“Their strengths are on show: they’ve got a really strong midfield and a very proud group, they’re a young emerging group with a new coach. At the moment, they look like they’re taking things on a bit more,” he said.
“There’s also an opportunity on that, but only if we dial up our contest and defence.
“They’re obviously a pretty formidable team when it comes to playing at their home venue.”
Things we love to see
Matt Cottrell and David Cuningham will play their respective 50th games this weekend, and their roads to 50 couldn’t be more different.
Cottrell - a boyhood Bluebagger - was taken as a supplemental selection period signing as Carlton's last player signed prior to the 2019 campaign, and was later elevated to the senior list in 2022.
The speedy winger has made his mark since then, fighting for every opportunity to now be an unheralded part of the Carlton team with his elite endurance and versatility in multiple roles.
David Cuningham was part of a memorable 2015 AFL Draft class, but due to injury has found himself on the sidelines more often than not.
His talent has never been underestimated, with the Club and fans alike desperate for Cuningham’s class to grace the field yet again.
Playing the last eight games in 2023 uninterrupted, Cuningham has put his best foot forward and reminded everybody of his dynamic tendencies on field.
