Sunday’s first AFL Round 8 match is between Carlton Blues and Port Adelaide Power with the game to be played at Etihad Stadium. The opening bounce is set to commence at 1:10pm local time with home team Carlton Blues currently holding favouritism for the match. View our AFL live scores, odds and results for the game between Carlton Blues and Port Adelaide Power.
WHERE AND WHEN: Etihad Stadium, Sunday May 19, 1:10pm
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Preview:
The first Sunday game of the round is Carlton vs Port Adelaide, kicking off at Etihad Stadium at 1.10pm. Port are currently sitting fourth on the table, while the Blues are languishing on a lowly 11th. According to many however, this is far from a clear indication of who is the better side, and the Blues will go into this match as favourites. Port had a great start to the 2013 season, but have been derailed recently with two straight losses. Unless they regain some confidence for this match, Carlton are looking likely at home.
Teams:
Carlton Blues:
B: Mitch Robinson, Michael Jamison, Lachie Henderson
HB: Zach Tuohy, Dennis Armfield, Simon White
C: Kane Lucas, Chris Judd, Kade Simpson
HF: Ed Curnow, Andrew Walker, Jeff Garlett
F: Brock McLean, Jarrad Waite, Matthew Kreuzer
Foll: Robert Warnock, Marc Murphy, Heath Scotland
Int: Josh Bootsma, Troy Menzel, Tom Bell, Shaun Hampson, Sam Rowe, Aaron Joseph, Jaryd Cachia
In: Waite, Rowe, Joseph, Menzel, Bell, Bootsma
Out: Betts, Ellard, Yarran
Port Adelaide Power:
FB: Lewis Stevenson, Alipate Carlile, Cameron O’Shea
HB: Dom Cassisi, Tom Jonas, Andrew Moore
C: Kane Cornes, Travis Boak, Brad Ebert
HF: Matthew Broadbent, Justin Westhoff, Angus Monfries
FF: Robbie Gray, Jay Schulz, Chad Wingard
Foll: Jarrad Redden, Hamish Hartlett, Oliver Wines
Int from: Sam Colquhoun, Jake Neade, Cameron Hitchcock, Matthew Lobbe, Kane Mitchell, Paul Stewart, Tom Logan
In: Cassisi, Logan, Lobbe, Stewart, Hitchcock
Out: Stewart, Heath
We have to close gaps: Blues AFL coach
Carlton must tighten their game plan to challenge the pacesetting AFL sides, according to coach Mick Malthouse.
Malthouse said the Blues were allowing the opposition to remain unchecked for too long and were being hurt on the scoreboard.
Carlton went down in an upset last week to St Kilda and Malthouse said the side needed to capitalise on areas where they were clearly out-performing the opposition.
He said the third quarter of the game against the Saints stood out as an example.
The Blues face Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium on Sunday and both sides will be anxious to regain their footing.
The Power won their first five games but have dropped the past two while Carlton are anxious to put last weekend’s loss behind.
“I thought our third quarter last week was quite good – we just didn’t score,” Malthouse said on Saturday.
“We’ve lost four games in an area where we’ve either been in front or we’ve challenged to be in front.
“Our biggest concern, I suppose, in those games is we allow too many minutes where we don’t impact the scoreboard and the opposition either do or hold us at bay.
“What we have to do to be a better side is to close those gaps up.”
Malthouse also refused to blame the loss of star players, whether injured or suspended, saying the 22 on the ground needed the club’s respect.
“I am loathe ever to (blame) injuries because, once you’re talking injuries, you start to downgrade the players who are on the ground for you,” he said.
He said if too much emphasis was put on the absence of leading players, those in the team felt and played in an inferior way.
According to Malthouse, player management was more important than ladder position approaching the midway point of the season.
“This is the time of the year when you can’t look at your win-loss ratio to make calculated decisions.
“You’ve still got to make good decisions for your football club and rest players when you have to … you’ve just got to look at the long term,” he said.
The Blues are close to regaining midfielders Andrew Carrazzo and Bryce Gibbs but will go into Sunday’s game without damaging small forward Eddie Betts who is suspended.
Key forward Jarrad Waite is back from suspension and, while his indiscretion drew the coach’s ire, Malthouse said it was caused by his desperation to prove himself after a spell on the sidelines.
