After facing off against Adelaide, West Coast and Sydney over the last three weeks, the challenges just keep coming for Carlton.
This Saturday the Blues will clash with ladder-leader Hawthorn in front of a sold-out Aurora Stadium in Launceston, in what’s being touted as a homecoming game for Carlton coach Brendon Bolton.
Originally hailing from Tasmania, it’s the first game Bolton will coach for premiership points in his home state.
However, the ‘Apple Isle’ has been a happy hunting ground for the opposition, with Hawthorn winning its last 18 matches in Launceston – so there’s no doubt Carlton must be on its game.
After falling just short to Sydney at the SCG last week, the Blues will need to bring the same amount of intensity and effort to match it with the Hawks – a fact not lost on Bolton.
“We’ve played against West Coast, Sydney and now Hawthorn, so we see them as real benchmarking games for us – we’re going to learn a lot after playing Hawthorn this week,” Bolton told media on Friday.
“We think our system can provide equilibrium, effort and pressure if it holds up, but it’s about doing it for longer at the elite level.
“When you’re playing teams like Hawthorn and Sydney, in a funny way it’s just about doing it (intensity and pressure) for longer.”
Meanwhile, Hawthorn is coming off a 70-point victory over Richmond, placing it two games clear on top of the ladder.
Speaking to the media at Melbourne Airport, Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson says his side will need to be switched on in the midfield.
“We need to play well, they’ve (Carlton) been particularly good over the last couple of weeks against West Coast and Sydney and we know we’re in for a battle,” Clarkson said.
“Their midfield is as talented in any in the competition, Cripps and Gibbs are outstanding players and Kreuzer is a very good ruckman, so if they get supply they’re going to be really hard to beat, so we need to be strong in that area of the ground.”
The last time these sides met was the final home-and-away game for both teams, Round 23 at the MCG. It was Andrew Carrazzo and David Ellard’s last game, and even though the Blues fought hard the Hawks were just too strong, walking away 57-point winners.
Although the Hawks have won every encounter against the Blues since 2005, Carlton still holds the overall win-loss ledger, 102 to 61.
Heading into this Saturday’s clash, the Blues have been forced to make one change with Andrejs Everitt returning to the side for the injured Charlie Curnow (knee), while for Hawthorn, Paul Puopolo (hip) has been replaced by Will Langford.
Carlton takes on Hawthorn this Saturday at Aurora Stadium, with the match kicking off at 2:10pm.
