Western Bulldogs v Carlton
Saturday 4 July, 2015
7:20pm, Etihad Stadium
Two wins on the trot has given Carlton renewed hope after a disappointing start to 2015.
Under caretaker coach John Barker, the Blues have a 2-2 win-loss record and appear to have been energised by the change.
With a four-point win against Port Adelaide two weeks ago and a 34-point win against the Suns last weekend, the Blues will be keen to make it three in a row.
Despite sitting 16th on the ladder, they lead the competition for centre clearances and sit fifth for total clearances.
“Wins are hard to come by in the AFL, there’s no doubt about that, and we made it a little bit harder on ourselves with a little bit of the way we went about it today,” Barker said following the Suns match.
“There were some patches today where we weren’t quite as up for the fight, and good footy teams bring that stuff consistently from the start of games to the end.
Carlton Key Stats
- #1 in league for centre clearances (181)
- #4 in league for one percenters (557)
- #5 in league for bounces (114)
- #5 in league for clearances (503)
- #9 in league for rebound 50s (460)
Players to Watch
Patrick Cripps
The 20-year-old has excelled in his second year in the game. Cripps is averaging 22 disposals and five tackles and has been a shining light in a disappointing season for the Blues. He currently sits 13th in the league for handballs, 19th for contested possessions and 16th for centre clearances.
Marc Murphy
While not at his damaging best in 2015, Murphy’s ability can never be doubted. The skipper is always a threat for opposition teams with his efficient disposal and is averaging 26 disposals in 2015.
Head to Head
Western Bulldogs 50
Carlton 87
Draw 4
Last time we met
Carlton 18.11 (119) defeated Western Bulldogs 13.13 (91) at Etihad Stadium, round 5 2014.
Carlton’s last three games
R13 2015 – Carlton 14.19 (103) defeated Gold Coast 9.15 (69)
R12 2015 – Carlton 17.8 (110) defeated Port Adelaide 16.10 (106)
R10 2015 – Adelaide 14.15 (99) defeated Carlton 14.6 (90)
