CARLTON has finalised its team of 23 for the trip across the Nullarbor to take on West Coast.
The Blues have made six forced changes to the side which took on Hawthorn last week, with a particularly youthful feel to the line-up this weekend.
Back on Wednesday, the Blues confirmed that mid-season recruit Cooper Lord would make his AFL debut this weekend, and it was backed up by the news that Ashton Moir will also feature in his first AFL game on Sunday.
There’s another first of sorts for Jaxon Binns, who will line up for his second game on the weekend. Binns, who made his debut against Geelong as sub in Round 7 as a late inclusion, will make his first start in a Carlton jumper, as confirmed by Michael Voss in his press conference on Friday morning.
Joining them are local boy Jack Carroll, small forward Corey Durdin and the versatile Lewis Young for the clash with the Eagles.
With two debutants and a second-gamer, the Blues have seven players in the side - Binns, Carroll, Lachie Cowan, Ollie Hollands, Lord, Moir and Jesse Motlop - aged 21 or under, with just less than half the side having less than 50 games under their belt.
Carlton’s forward structure is a key point of interest heading into Sunday, given the absence of Charlie Curnow, Lachie Fogarty, Harry McKay and Jack Martin from last weekend. With heavy rain forecast for WA this weekend, the Blues haven’t named any recognised key forward in their front six as things stand.
The two debutants in Lord and Moir are joined by Carroll, Durdin and Alex Cincotta on the five-man bench, with the Blues to name their sub an hour before the bounce.
