The Northern Blues will be looking to avoid their third consecutive defeat when they host the Casey Scorpions at Ikon Park on Saturday afternoon.

Having put together consecutive disappointing performances in the past fortnight, the Blues haven’t come away with a win since the record-breaking 157-point win over Frankston at Etihad Stadium in Round 11.

Returning to the winner’s list will be no easy feat against sixth-placed Casey, with changes at the selection table seeing only 11 Carlton-listed players scheduled to front up for Northern.

With Sam Rowe and Carlton debutant Brad Walsh called up to the AFL side, it will be left to the likes of Matthew Watson, Mark Whiley and Kristian Jaksch to shoulder the majority of the burden if the Blues are to come away with an upset.

Watson and his key forward compatriot Liam Jones are the two most experiences Blues in the side, which has just 136 games of combined AFL experience (with Jones contributing 74 of them).

The Blues will be heavily reliant on the pairing as well as Blaine Johnson and Jayden Foster to kick them a winning score, given the particularly inexperienced backline fronting up on the weekend.

Making his VFL debut, Jordan Roberts - at 22 years of age - is the oldest of the six listed defenders for the Blues in his first game, with vital VFL experience Kieran McGuinness (shoulder) and Joel Wilkinson unavailable.

In heartening news for the Blues, Ciaran Byrne will continue his return from injury this weekend, having made a successful return from hamstring troubles last week against Richmond.

Compared to the disappointment of the last fortnight for the Blues, Casey come into the game full of confidence on the back of two comfortable wins against Geelong and Port Melbourne since returning from its bye.

The Scorpions kept Port Melbourne to just two goals in torrid conditions at Casey Fields last week, and have the second most miserly defence in the competition behind Box Hill.

With the forwards being starved of opportunities in recent weeks, it will be left to the midfield brigade of Mark Whiley, Blaine Boekhorst and Brent Bransgrove to reserve the tide and get the ball rolling for the Blues.

Having kicked just 10 goals in the last two weeks combined, an immediate answer is needed for Northern if it aims to end the season on a high and salvage something from 2015.

Viv Michie will line up for Casey after being adjudged best on ground by his coaches last week in the 49-point win over the Borough, as will Jimmy Toumpas and Ben Newton.

However, with Mark Jamar called up to the extended Melbourne squad, the jury is still out as to whether or not he will go head to head in the ruck with Alex Aurrichio.

The Round 14 clash commences at 2pm on Saturday from Ikon Park, with Carlton members and Northern Blues members able to enter the game free.

PLAYER WATCH

Blaine Johnson: After returning to the side last week having been given a taste of AFL football, Blaine Johnson will have to be at his efficient best on the weekend. A mainstay in the Northern Blues forward line over the last 18 months, Johnson has shown a tendency no matter the result. He’ll have a big job alongside the three talls of Watson, Jones and Foster if the Blues are to come away with the four points on the weekend.

Brent Bransgrove: In a team devoid of experience, the skipper will have to put in a big shift if his side is to come away with an upset victory against the Scorpions. Bransgrove was typically dogged against the Tigers last weekend, and has displayed a knack over the years to lift when his team has needed him most. With the prospect of finals if anything but a fleeting hope, Bransgrove will have to typically will his side over the line if the Blues are to get the job done.

Mark Whiley: Having lost his midfield counterpart in Brad Walsh to AFL selection, it will be left to Whiley and Blaine Boekhorst to take on the majority of the burden in the clinches on Saturday afternoon. Whiley has been consistently among the Blues’ better performers this year when in the VFL side, and was a solid contributor in last week’s loss to Richmond in difficult conditions at Preston City Oval.