CARLTON will have a lot to play for when they face St Kilda for the second time in 2019 on Saturday afternoon at the traditional home of football.

If three milestones weren’t motivation enough, the Blues will be hoping to down the Saints for their new senior coach and outgoing veteran Dale Thomas.

Here is everything you need to know about Carlton’s upcoming opponent.

OVERVIEW:

Ladder position: 13th

Won: Nine

Lost: 11

Form: LWWLW

Average points for: 76

Average points against: 89

Eager to finish their 2019 campaign on a high, the Blues will be looking to get back on the winner’s list after a week of mixed emotions.

A lot has changed since the Blues fell just short to the Saints in Round 10, and the Blues will be looking to seal the culmination of two months improvement under David Teague with a victory.

With mixed form heading towards the end of the season, St Kilda will be just as eager to collect another win after last week’s three-point victory over Fremantle.

Despite the form of recent years, Carlton still maintains a favourable record over St Kilda upholding a 106-game win differential between the two sides.

For the Blues, it will be all about winning the ball from the clearance and keeping it locked inside their forward half - a strategy that the statistics look favourably upon. Carlton outrank St Kilda significantly in both clearances and rebound 50s after 21 rounds of football. 

Where the Saints could take back the advantage, however, is in their tackle pressure, currently sitting fourth in the competition for tackles after Round 21.

Carlton will have to execute a lockdown job on St Kilda star forward Tim Membrey, with Blue Lachie Plowman looking primed for the task. Plowman has shown his ability to take on the key forwards throughout the year, with his most notable performance coming against Brisbane's star forward Charlie Cameron in Round 12.

There will be plenty of emotion at the MCG on Sunday as the Blues hope to ring in Member Appreciation Round with a win for new senior coach David Teague, milestone man Patrick Cripps and retiring veteran Dale Thomas.

With so much to play for, Carlton will have to rise to the occasion.