Carlton has rolled out the big guns for its season-shaping Smithy’s VFL clash with Richmond at IKON Park on Friday night.
Five AFL-listed players return for a Blues’ team that is hoping to get its season back to level pegging after dropping the opening two games.
Important midfielders Lochie O’Brien and Jack Carroll, rebounder Alex Cincotta, key defender Sam Durdin and clever forward Josh Honey all return to the team that beat North Melbourne by 52 points last week.
Durdin and Cincotta missed the Roos’ win due to injury, while O’Brien, Carroll and Honey have been dropped from the AFL team, although Thursday night’s substitute will come from one of them or defender Lachie Plowman.
It means Carlton could have as many as 14 AFL-listed players to take on the Tigers, plus former listed talent in captain Ben Crocker, Ben Ronke, Liam McMahon and Luke Parks.
By contrast, Richmond has been racked by injuries this week and have named four VFL debutants to run out for the only game in Melbourne on Friday night.
Defenders Robbie Tarrant (hip) and Bigoa Nyuon (ankle) plus key forward Kaelan Bradtke (hand) join the higher-publicised injuries from the AFL team, with Ben Miller, Jack Ross and Maurice Rioli heading to Adelaide to meet Sydney in Gather Round.
The Tigers have handed debuts to Coates Talent League top-agers Archie May (Sandringham Dragons) and Luke Teal (Oakleigh Charges), plus VAFA product Ben Bilston-McGillen and Tooradin-Dalmore’s Lewis Hill.
All matches in the 2023 Smithy’s VFL and rebel VFLW seasons will be live streamed free via the AFL website and AFL Live Official App.
Smithy’s VFL broadcast partner, the Seven Network, will show one weekly game live and free on the Seven Network in Victoria and on 7Plus nationally.
Casey Radio 97.7FM will also Friday night’s match.
CARLTON vs RICHMOND
Friday 14 April, 7:05pm, IKON Park
Head-to-head: Carlton 12-5-1. At IKON Park: 1-1. Streak: Richmond 1
CARLTON
B: D. Akuei (41), S. Durdin (38), L. Plowman (20)
HB: L. McMahon (52), B. Kemp (17), A. Cincotta (39)
C: J. Binns (25), L. Fogarty (8), L. O'Brien (4)
HF: J. Carroll (16), H. Lemmey (33), B. Crocker (57)
F: J. Honey (36), B. Kuipers (60), B. Ronke (67)
R: A. Mirkov (45), P. Dow (2), P. Dozzi (53)
INT: H. O'Keeffe (35), H. Ramshaw (51)*, N. Cahill (54), L. Parks (63), M. Moschetti (68)
EMG: A. Mills (59), A. Stevens (64), S. Grant (56), J. Lefroy (79), H. Sinnott (75), L. Swaney (76), T. Leiu (55), M. Lewis (58)
IN: J. Carroll, A. Cincotta, S. Durdin, J. Honey, L. O'Brien
OUT: J. Lefroy, M. Lewis, A. Mills, A. Stevens, L. Swaney
RICHMOND
B: J. Nathan (65), M. El Nour (57), J. Bauer (43)
HB: M. Clohesy (76)*, T. Bracher (74), G. McDonagh (53)
C: A. Johnson (51), L. Street (55), S. Banks (41)
HF: W. Bravo (70), B. Cooper (78), S. Green (48)
F: J. Trezise (68), T. Brindley (61), L. Johnson (59)
R: A. May (71), T. Dow (27), C. Olden (58)
INT: L. Teal (66), M. Faimalo (64), F. Elliot (67), L. Hill (81), B. Bilston-McGillen (82)
EMG: M. Yassine (80)
IN: B. Bilston-McGillen, W. Bravo, B. Cooper, T. Dow, M. Faimalo, L. Hill, A. May, L. Teal
OUT: K.Bradtke (hand), B.Miller (AFL), B.Nyuon (ankle), M.Rioli (AFL), J.Ross (AFL), R.Tarrant (hip), A. Hicks, M.Yassine
NEW: Ben Bilston-McGillen, 20, Old Xaverians; Lewis Hill, 21, Tooradin-Dalmore; Archie May, 18, Old Brighton/Sandringham Dragons; Luke Teal, 18, Old Trinity/Oakleigh Chargers
*23rd player
UMPIRES
Carlton vs Richmond
FIELD: 1.Andrew Talbot, 6.Alex Murray, 29.Tom Chrystie. BOUNDARY: Adam Bell, Trent Bowes, Jake D’Angelo. GOAL: Brad Kellett, Nelson Tucker.
