Today’s second AFL Round 5 match is between Carlton Blues and Adelaide Crows. The opening bounce is set to commence at 4:40pm local time with the game to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The home team Carlton are the current favourites in the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Carlton Blues and Adelaide Crows.

Round: Round 5 4:40 PM April 27, 2013
Stadium: MCG
Weather: 25° Partly cloudy.

Featured Bookmakers:

Carlton Blues $1.50 vs Adelaide Crows $2.60 at Sportsbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Carlton Blues $1.50 vs Adelaide Crows $2.60 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison:

Carlton Blues	1.50	1.52	1.50	1.52	1.50	1.51
Adelaide Crows	2.60	2.52	2.60	2.52	2.60	2.63

Preview

Carlton finally got on the board last week with a win over the West Coast Eagles by 24 points.

It was deserved after good efforts, albeit losing ones, to Richmond (by 5 points), Collingwood (by 17 points) and (Geelong by 16 points) in the first three rounds.

With the struggling Demons and St. Kilda awaiting Carlton in the next two weeks, a win here could see the Blues with a much improved record and ladder standing in coming weeks.

Adelaide haven’t hit first gear yet this year and have lost to Essendon and Port with wins over the struggling Brisbane and last week against the Bulldogs (by 52 points) giving them their eight competition points thus far.

They were some signs last week that would’ve pleased the Adelaide supporters and staff however, Carlton at the MCG will require them to be near their best and I’m not quite sure they are there yet.:

Teams:

Carlton Blues:
B: Chris Yarran, Michael Jamison, Lachie Henderson
HB: Zach Tuohy, Dennis Armfield, Bryce Gibbs
C: Kade Simpson, Andrew Carrazzo, Mitch Robinson
HF: Chris Judd, Andrew Walker, Jeff Garlett
F: Ed Curnow, Shaun Hampson, Sam Rowe
Foll: Robbie Warnock, Marc Murphy, Brock McLean
I/C: Eddie Betts, Kane Lucas, Heath Scotland, Simon White
Emerg: Levi Casboult, David Ellard, Aaron Joseph

IN: Eddie Betts
OUT: Aaron Joseph (omitted)

Adelaide Crows:
B: Luke Brown, Ben Rutten, Andy Otten
HB: David Mackay, Daniel Talia, Brent Reilly
C: Richard Douglas, Scott Thompson, Brodie Smith
HF: Sam Kerridge, Josh Jenkins, Jared Petrenko
F: Tom Lynch, Taylor Walker, Matthew Wright
Foll: Sam Jacobs, Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane
I/C: Matthew Jaensch, Bernie Vince, Ricky Henderson, Rory Laird
Emerg: Jarryd Lyons, Shaun McKernan, Jason Porplyzia

IN: Bernie Vince, Brodie Smith
OUT: Jason Porplyzia (omitted), Brad Crouch (hamstring)

Adelaide Crows lose Brad Crouch to injury

Adelaide’s emerging midfielder Brad Crouch has injured a hamstring and won’t play against Carlton on Saturday.

The 19-year-old Crouch suffered the injury late during Adelaide’s training session on Wednesday.

“That is a bit of a setback for us. I really liked how he had been playing – he has been great for a first-year player,” Crows coach Brenton Sanderson told reporters.

“It doesn’t look too bad but it’s hard to know until he has scans … it might be two weeks (out).”

Crouch has impressed since making his debut in round two this year, but Adelaide have a ready replacement for their MCG fixture against Carlton in 2007 club champion Bernie Vince.

Vince was dropped last week but performed strongly in the SANFL.

“He is too good a player to be in the SANFL … I really do like Bernie as a player,” Sanderson said.

“It wasn’t that he had to learn a lesson. He just had to go back and find some form and touch and he did that.”

AA