Live AFL scores 2024, Carlton Blues vs Melbourne Demons, Round 9 updates, stats, video, how to stream, watch, news, blog

Clinging to a top-eight spot, Carlton is looking to return to winning ways against premiership fans Melbourne at the MCG on Thursday night.

The Blues (5-3, 109.8%) are bolstered by the returns of Mitch McGovern and Jack Martin, while Ollie Hollands and Brodie Kemp have also been recalled for the all-important bout.

Meanwhile, the Demons (6-2, 124.3%) have welcomed back defender Jake Bowey after he recovered from an Opening Round collarbone injury, dropping Bailey Laurie in a corresponding move.

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Melbourne is catapulting from a stirring victory over Geelong last Saturday and is looking to claim a fifth win from its past six.

Carlton has lost three of its past four games including last Friday’s heartbreaker against Collingwood, and has axed Lewis Young, Orazio Fantasia and David Cuningham. Zac Williams (injured) also goes out of Michael Voss’ side.

The inclusion of McGovern — who’s been absent since Round 6 — is likely to prove beneficial for Jacob Weitering, whose intercepting influence has been stunted in recent weeks as he’s tried to compensate for Carlton casualties in defense.

“They’ve got to make Weitering great again,” dual premiership Kangaroo David King told Fox Footy.

“They’ve got to get back to the Weitering that was in the back half of last season, not the one we’re seeing now … this is about Michael Voss and his defensive coach going ‘hey, you shouldn’t be getting taken off the line or going to redundant positions on bits-and-pieces players.”

With McGovern and the aerially able Kemp set to line up alongside Weitering on Thursday, Carlton’s star stopper might be able to get back to his best.

The Demons have won three of their past five matches against the Blues, though Carlton won two of its three meetings with Melbourne last season including their semi-final thriller.

The game gets underway at 7:30pm AEST from the MCG.

Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 504), streaming on Kayo or via Hubbl, from 6:30pm AEST.

MATCH UPDATES

Final teams are in for tonight’s clash. There are no late changes, with George Hewett (CAR) and Taj Woewodin (MEL) named the starting substitutes.

With rain starting to tumble down at the MCG, the ball could well be a cake of soap.

St Kilda great Leigh Montagna said before the game that the Dees “do not play well in the wet”, with Dunstall saying “everything’s going to be simplified tonight”, referencing the weather.

However, coach Simon Goodwin told Fox Footy pre-game “we’re prepared for wet weather … for these kinds of conditions.”

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