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Interactive: The Swans and Blues have fallen back in the finals race
Voss demands Blues lift pressure; remembers Walls
Harry McKay of the Blues warms up.Credit: Getty Images
Blues coach Michael Voss has urged his players to make sure they have a presence ahead of the ball and can maintain pressure on the Sydney Swans in wet conditions tonight.
But Voss also had some warm recollections of his former coach Robert Walls who died on Thursday and will be honoured before tonight’s game.
Walls coached Voss in his early years with the Brisbane Bears.
“He had a strange arc, no one really liked him at the time he was coaching them but everyone now looks back on those times and thinks about the things you got out of it,” Voss told Fox Footy.
“He taught us how to train, how to work hard and how to be professionals in an environment where, at that time, you could get away from that and people wouldn’t talk about you.
“He made sure we knew our responsibilities.”
‘You pray for rain at times’: Silvagni embraces wet SCG
Jack Silvagni of the Blues marks the ball.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Blues defender Jack Silvagni isn’t upset to see the rain falling at the SCG tonight.
Fox Footy’s Alistair Lynch described the rain as “driving rain” so it should be a wet, contested match.
“As a defender, I think you pray for rain at times,” Silvagani told Fox Footy.
“I love playing in the wet and I don’t think it will change how we play much.
“Two teams who are quality contested footy sides, so territory should come into play and maybe not handballing as much.”
Subs named
Neither side has made a late change. Ollie Florent (Swans) and Jordan Boyd (Blues) are the subs.
Robert Walls remembered
Robert Walls was one of the football’s most respected figures.Credit: John Donegan
The Blues will wear black armbands in memory of club legend Robert Walls tonight.
Walls died on Thursday and has been widely remembered for his impact as a player, coach and media commentator.
From Carlton media:
The Carlton players will wear black armbands today in honour of Robert Walls. One of the great servants of the game, Robert Walls was a three-time premiership player and premiership coach at Carlton. Wearing the No.42, Walls made his debut for the club in Round 2 of 1967 against Hawthorn at Princes Park, kicking two goals. Walls was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2006 – but in the chronicles of Carlton history his name is forever etched, as a Team of the Century Member, Hall of Fame Legend and one of only five men to complete the playing/coaching premiership double since the club’s admission to the VFL.
Please note, there will be a moment of silence at 7.25pm tonight to acknowledge the passing of Robert Walls.
TDK out of Swans clash; Amartey returns
Marc Pittonet of the Blues competes for the ball against Brodie Grundy of the Swans in 2024.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
With star Tom De Koning out injured, Carlton coach Michael Voss is backing forgotten man Marc Pittonet to make his case in the No.1 ruck role against Sydney.
De Koning is sidelined for Friday night’s clash at the SCG after suffering a knock to his larynx during their last-start 15-point win over St Kilda.
Blues coach Michael Voss is confident the in-demand talent will only miss the first of their two Sir Doug Nicholls fixtures.
“He came out (against St Kilda) with the husky voice and we sort of thought that it’d just be a knock to the throat and be OK,” Voss said on Thursday.
“By the time we got into yesterday, it was still hanging around.
“It just warranted a little bit more investigation and sort of felt like we just needed that to settle for another week before he becomes available next week.”
De Koning’s injury opens the door for Pittonet to play his first AFL game of the season, slated for a match-up against Sydney ruck Brodie Grundy.
Voss has also called on defenders Jordan Boyd and Matthew Carroll to replace Lachie Fogarty (hamstring) and Blake Acres (shoulder).
Joel Amartey booted two goals, one of which was the match-winner, against Fremantle.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images
Meanwhile, Sydney have recalled back-up ruck Peter Ladhams as they welcome back key forward Joel Amartey from a hamstring injury.
Ben Paton and Hayden McLean make way for the pair, with Swans captain Callum Mills to make his return from a foot injury via the VFL.
“Pitto’s been in some really great form himself. The best he could possibly do is just state his case through form,” Voss said.
“He’s been able to do that and played some really strong VFL football, so quite familiar with what he can do, but it’ll be a pretty important tussle in the middle of the ground with Brodie Grundy.”
Carlton, sitting 10th (4-5), are out to end their SCG hoodoo off the back of their hard-earned win over the Saints.
The Blues haven’t defeated Sydney at their home venue since 2019 and have lost nine of their past 10 SCG matches.
An injury-ravaged Swans outfit are also struggling to find form, licking their wounds after an eight-point loss to Essendon condemned them to a 3-6 record.
“We haven’t had a great recent record here, so we have to amend that,” Voss said.
“We’ve got an opposition that’s a pretty good opposition.
“They’ve got plenty of weapons that if they have their own way, it’ll be a tough game.”
AAP
Interactive: The Swans and Blues have fallen back in the finals race
Good evening
G’day all and welcome to our AFL live blog for the clash between the Sydney Swans and Carlton Blues at the SCG.
I’m Roy Ward and I’ll be in the driver’s seat tonight as we go through the major moments and post game reactions while Vince Rugari will be reporting from Sydney and have his usual astute musings.
First bounce is set for 7.40pm AEST.
Enjoy the hours to come.
