Key posts
North wearing special Good Friday guernsey
North Melbourne are donning their Good Friday ‘SuperClash’ guernsey for today’s game with the jumpers to be auctioned off for the Good Friday Appeal after the match.
They are wearing the jumper with their regular blue shorts and blue and white socks while Carlton is wearing their time-honoured navy blue jumper with white shorts and navy blue socks.
Darcy Tucker of the Kangaroos is presented with his jumper by Martin Pike.Credit: AFL Photos
‘See where we are as a club’: Clarkson wants Kangaroos to be put to the test
By Roy Ward
Kangaroos coach Alistair Clarkson has called today’s game a test of where his club is at in 2023.
Clarkson wants his side to respond after losing to Hawthorn last round.
“We’ve got to try and make sure that they don’t get the supply,” Clarkson told Channel Seven.
“They’re great players those guys, big Harry [McKay] and Charlie [Curnow], and if they get a lot of the ball, we will be in a bit of trouble.
“They’ve got a really good midfield too. That will be a key battle in the game, like it nearly always is. The midfield is where it will be won and lost.
“We’re up for the test, up for the fight, and just to see where we are as a club.”
Your view: Good Friday footy
Listen: ‘Critical mass’: What’s wrong with Geelong?
This week on the Real Footy podcast, Michael Gleeson and Caroline Wilson discuss the 0-3 Cats, who looked slow and were flattered by the margin in their most recent loss, to Gold Coast.
Should Tom Hawkins, who didn’t have a pre-season, be playing? Which outs are hurting them the most? How big of an impact has Joel Selwood’s departure had on the club? The Cats are reminiscent of Carlton’s premiership team of 1995. Is 2023 their exhale moment? They have plenty of home games to come at GMHBA Stadium – will those be enough to help them to finals this year? Meanwhile, the Suns had a good win, but they are not out of the woods just yet. They are guilty until proven innocent in terms of their performances and Stuart Dew is still a coach under pressure.
‘Closest I’ve seen to a Judd-type’: Inside the meeting that created a Kangaroos star
By Marc McGowan
Luke Davies-Uniacke, Nathan Jones and Gerard Healy were seated at a table in a Black Rock cafe.
The catch-up came during a period when Healy – the former champion Demon and Swan who has become one of the AFL media’s most respected voices – was mentoring the young Kangaroo, at the club’s request.
Luke Davies-Uniacke leads the AFLCA champion player of the year voting.Credit: AFL Photos
Davies-Uniacke, the No.4 pick in the 2017 AFL draft, looked great with the Sherrin in hand. His old Haileybury College coach Matthew Lloyd even called him the best junior footballer he had seen, such was his explosiveness, power, and clearance expertise.
But the problem was it didn’t happen enough. Davies-Uniacke protested that it was because he wasn’t getting enough midfield minutes.
“You’re not fit enough to get them,” Healy told him, matter-of-factly.
Luke Davies-Uniacke.Credit: Twitter
Late change for North
Miller Bergman (illness) has come out of the side with Daniel Howe to come into the team for the Kangaroos.
Alarm bells at rise in AFL players hiding concussion
By Peter Ryan
Good afternoon
G’day everyone and Happy Easter – I’m Roy Ward and welcome to today’s AFL live blog a North Melbourne and Carlton play at Marvel Stadium.
A big crowd is expected for this public holiday game and we will be here for all the major moments and post game reactions.
So please enjoy the coverage to come. First bounce is set for 4.20pm AEST.
