The only game on Sunday for AFL Round 1 is between Carlton Blues and Port Adelaide Power. The match is to be played at Etihad Stadium with the opening bounce set to commence at 7.40pm with home team Carlton Blues currently holding favouritism in the market. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Carlton Blues and Port Adelaide Power.

Round: Round 1, Sunday, March 16, 7.40pm
Stadium: Etihad Stadium
Weather: 19° Partly cloudy.

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Odds Comparison:

Carlton Blues	1.62	1.60	1.62	1.60	1.62	1.60
Port Adelaide Power	2.35	2.35	2.35	2.35	2.35	2.32

All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.

Preview:

Carlton take on Port Adelaide on Sunday, 7.40pm at Etihad Stadium.  This is the last match of the weekend, with the second half of the first round taking place from Thursday next week.  The Blues will be favourites to win here, in a game between last year’s losing semi-finalists.  The Blues had a great end to 2013, with an unexpected entry into the finals after beating Port Adelaide in their last encounter. While they only made it into the finals due to Essendon’s disqualification, make no mistake, fans are looking for big things from the Blues this season. Port Adelaide Power fans will have equally high expectations, however, with their team also reaching the semi-finals last year after a long absence.  While most people expect the Blues to perform well this year, however, the jury is still out on whether Port Adelaide have the depth to keep the momentum going from last season.

Teams:

Carlton Blues:

B: Lachie Henderson, Matthew Watson, Zach Tuohy
HB: Kade Simpson, Michael Jamison, Andrew Walker
C: Dale Thomas, Marc Murphy, Ed Curnow
HF: Chris Yarran, Jarrad Waite, Jeff Garlett
F: Mitch Robinson, Matthew Kreuzer, Bryce Gibbs
Fol: Robert Warnock, Tom Bell, Brock McLean
I/C: Andrejs Everitt, David Ellard, Andrew McInnes, Nick Holman, Patrick Cripps, Kane Lucas, Troy Menzel (three to be omitted)

Port Adelaide Power:
B: Jackson Trengove, Jack Hombsch, Matthew Broadbent
HB: Jasper Pittard, Tom Jonas, Tom Clurey
C: Jared Polec, Brad Ebert, Kane Cornes
HF: Angus Monfries, Justin Westhoff, Hamish Hartlett
F: John Butcher, Jay Schulz, Robbie Gray
Fol: Matthew Lobbe, Travis Boak, Chad Wingard
I/C: Ollie Wines, Matt White, Cam O’Shea, Jarman Impey, Brent Renouf, Sam Colquhoun, Dom Cassisi

News:

Benji Marshall will make his first Super Rugby start for the Blues when they take on the Lions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg early on Sunday.

The former NRL star has been named at fullback in a Blues side featuring five changes from the one beaten 38-22 by the Bulls last week.

Marshall said he’d been looking forward to another taste of Super Rugby after the brief 20-minute taste he got against the Highlanders in round two.

“I’ve had to have a bit of patience, bide my time a bit and the time has come so I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said.

Marshall conceded it had been a challenging few weeks after not coming off the bench against the Crusaders and being left out of the match day 23 last week.

“It’s a bit of the other side of the coin for me, I’m used to being in a starting line-up in league and then coming back and having to be a bit more patient.

“You’ve just got to take your opportunities and this is my chance.”

Blues coach Sir John Kirwan said Marshall had been training well at fullback.

“We’re keeping with the theme of really trying to create some internal competition and although that’s sometimes difficult to do when you haven’t had a win, we believe in what we’re doing,” he said.

“We believe Benji deserves a start at fullback, he’s jumping out of his skin, he’s ready to go, he’s spent the last couple of weeks really refining that role, so we’ll put him in there.”

Charles Piutau moves from fullback to wing to accommodate Marshall, and youngster Tevita Li drops out of the side.

After adding plenty of spark and scoring a try on debut last week, Pita Ahki is rewarded with a start at inside centre in place of Jackson Willison, while Chris Noakes replaces Simon Hickey at five-eighth.

In the forwards, Peter Saili is suffering from a patella tendon injury, and Steven Luatua moves to the back of the scrum to replace him.

Brendon O’Connor will get his first start of the season at blindside flanker and Patrick Tuipulotu replaces Liaki Moli at lock.

Blues: Benji Marshall, Frank Halai, George Moala, Pita Ahki, Charles Piutau, Chris Noakes, Piri Weepu, Steven Luatua, Luke Braid, Brendon O’Connor, Tom Donnelly, Patrick Tuipulotu, Charlie Faumuina, James Parsons, Tony Woodcock.

Reserves: Tom McCartney, Sam Prattley, Angus Ta’avao, Liaki Moli, Jordan Manihera, Bryn Hall, Simon Hickey, Jackson Willison.