In the latest edition of Opposition Watch, Swans Media explores Carlton’s camp ahead of the Sydney Swans’ visit to Marvel Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Recent form

Carlton and Sydney are both winless ahead of the Round 3 fixture.

Carlton fell to Richmond in the traditional Blues-Tigers MCG season-opener, before a 16-point defeat to Port Adelaide followed last Saturday.

But Brendon Bolton’s Blues led at quarter-time and chiselled out a four-goal-to-one third term to close the margin to just three points at the final change in their match against the Power, telling signs they can test high-quality opposition.

Sydney is sitting in 14th on the ladder and Carlton 15th on the cusp of Saturday’s match.

Ins and outs

Carlton has made three changes to its side that lost to Port Adelaide last week. 

Experienced key forward Levi Casboult, emerging defender Caleb Marchbank and young, fleet-footed midfielder Lochie O’Brien have all been named to return, with Charlie Curnow, Alex Fasolo and Jarrod Garlett all making way.

Eyes for the footy: Sydney Swans midfielder George Hewett and Carlton forward Levi Casboult do battle.

Key match-up 

Star Sydney forward Lance Franklin made a statement to the competition in last week’s clash with the Adelaide Crows, with the 32-year-old snaring three goals including a Goal of the Year contender in a brilliant performance.

The four-time Coleman Medallist’s 292nd AFL game earned him one AFL Coaches’ Association vote, and Sydney coach John Longmire said post-match it was the freest Franklin had looked since undergoing off-season groin surgery.

Carlton defender Liam Jones is likely to be assigned to Franklin in Saturday’s game.

The former Western Bulldog signed with Carlton via the 2014 trade period and managed just 17 games across seasons 2015 and 2016, but in 2017 the key forward reinvented himself as a key defender – and he’s thrived ever since.

Jones has been tasked with shadowing some of the most dangerous key forwards in the competition since making his positional switch, including West Coast’s Josh Kennedy, Geelong’s Tom Hawkins and Adelaide’s Taylor Walker.

Franklin now looms as Jones’ ensuing challenge, although rising defender Jacob Weitering – 2015’s number one AFL Draft pick – is expected to play on the 921-goal Swan at various points in the match.

Last time they met

The Swans posted a 30-point win at the SCG when Sydney and Carlton last crossed swords in Round 11, 2018.

Young Sydney star Isaac Heeney collected the Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal for best on ground in the Swans’ annual Marn Grook at the SCG match, with ruckman Callum Sinclair (three votes), Heeney (two) and Parker (one) earning the Brownlow votes.

Sydney’s Josh Kennedy (26 disposals) and Jake Lloyd (24) led the Swans’ possession count, and Sinclair finished with 22 touches and 26 hit-outs in his duel with Blues big man Matthew Kreuzer, while Franklin bagged three goals.

What they said

Carlton coach Brendon Bolton: “Our midfield bats fairly deep. Although young in age, you can see Petrevski-Seton’s growth this year, and the same goes for Paddy Dow, Will Setterfield, Patrick Cripps, Zac Fisher and so on. There’s a group there that are going to be together for a long time, and if they continue to work as a unit I think the midfield battle will be a real contest in itself against Sydney.”