Carlton will face Port Adelaide in a huge top-four clash in an early Round 7 fixture on Thursday night in Adelaide. This clash has enormous consequences for each side in attempting to earn ground on a top three spot in the league table. With the pressure reaching a boiling point, both coaches have made questionable yet pivotal calls in their line-up.
In an exciting first, Carlton is set to give 23-year-old Billy Wilson his debut in the forward line. He was added to the team a month ago after being chosen 34th in the 2023 national draft. Unionized with him, Flynn Young will be in action making his goalkicking AFL debut. Young is the other mid-season draftee, chosen with this year’s fourth overall pick. Carlton certainly views him as a diamond in the rough that will develop into an important piece on their team.
Carlton’s head coach, Michael Voss, welcomed their obvious talent and the challenge of having young players take center stage.
“And Flynn Young will also play … to have our sixth, seventh debutant for the year, and to have exposure to these young men, to be able to come in and get roles done, it’s a credit to them, the work they’ve done.” – Michael Voss
The addition of Wilson and Young goes to show a changing of the guard towards youth as Carlton look to re-build their list. Voss credited the work of the development crew in getting these players ready for their AFL chances.
“Also a real shout out to our development team because the last four or five weeks, we’ve seen a real acceleration in a lot of these young men’s careers,” – Michael Voss
On the flipside of the oval, Port Adelaide has its own issues. Star player Ollie Wines remains sidelined for a second consecutive week due to a knee injury, which leaves a gap in their midfield. At the same time, veteran Travis Boak is preparing to play his 379th AFL game, and the way he’s playing, it could be a career-defining game.
In preparation for the match, Port Adelaide’s coach, Ken Hinkley, made some tough calls by dropping four players: Ryan Burton, Jeremy Finlayson, Jackson Mead, and Christian Moraes. This decision speaks to Hinkley’s shared belief in his mission to build a competitive team in the face of these pressures.
In the meantime, for Carlton, their inspirational captain Patrick Cripps, suffering from the lingering effects of illness, missed a jog on the eve of the game. Voss is hopeful that Cripps will be ready to go on Saturday, such is his resilience.
“He came in yesterday and he was not training because he’s feeling a bit off so we obviously don’t want him around the main group,” – Michael Voss
For both teams, it will take the time of adapting to new line-ups. Fans can look forward to a riveting showdown packed with potential for developing talent. With Carlton and Port Adelaide both looking to build on their seasons in this important preliminary final, the stage could not be higher.
