In what coach Michael Voss described as their worst half of the season, the Lions trailed the Sydney Swans by 72 points after two quarters last Saturday night and will need to turn things around quickly to match the red-hot Blues.
Carlton has seven wins and a draw from its 10 matches and is sitting fourth after a 62-point last-start win against Port Adelaide.
The Lions may welcome back Tom Rockliff (calf) and Josh Drummond (knee) who will undergo tests later in the week.
Forward Scout
The Club: Carlton Blues
2011 so far:
Carlton has made the finals the past two seasons but appears to have taken another step forward this year. The Blues are fourth on the ladder with their only two losses coming against undefeated pair Collingwood and Geelong. Their defence has been stiffened with mature age recruit Nick Duigan and former Geelong Cat Jeremy Laidler. The Blues' defensive unit are fresh from a rampaging second half against Port Adelaide where they conceded just one goal.
The Coach: After taking over from Denis Pagan during the 2007 season, Brett Ratten is starting to really shine. The recruitment of Duigan and Laidler has helped the defence immeasurably, while moving Chris Yarran to the back half and Andrew Walker up forward have proved masterstrokes. Ratten's recent tactic of putting Bryce Gibbs on the opposition's best player has also worked wonders. Ratten always keeps his cool and it's a trait starting to come out in his team.
The Star: He's won two Brownlow Medals and Chris Judd could well be in line for a third. The 27-year-old is having another stellar season in which he is top 10 in the league in disposals, tackles and goal assists. But it's more than numbers for Judd. While his support cast has stepped up this season, his attack at the contest, strength in close and relentless will to win is again the driving force behind Carlton's success.
The Sleeper: While Judd rightly gets most of the accolades at Carlton, Marc Murphy is having another sensational season. He has finished in the top-three in the past three Carlton best and fairests and is on his way again, currently second in the league in disposals. Murphy has now played 112 matches and his willingness to run hard combined with his elite foot skills make him a tricky assignment to contain.
The Young Gun: Being moved to the backline has done wonders for the development of Chris Yarran, and given opposition coaches another headache at the same time. It's fair to say 20-year-old Yarran was patchy during his first two seasons as a small forward, but seems to have found a home as a creative half-back. He loves to run and his ball use is brilliant. The Lions will be trying to take him as close to the goalsquare as possible.
Strengths: The Blues have a particularly good midfield led by Judd, Murphy and Gibbs. Throw in Heath Scotland, Kade Simpson and Andrew Carrazzo and there's a fleet of players that get plenty of the ball and use it well. But it's Carlton's defence - third stingiest in the league - that has won praise, with Jamison and Duigan marshalling the back six.
Weaknesses: While the Blues don't like hearing it, they still rely heavily on Judd. If the match gets tight and they need a lift, invariably it's the No.5 that gives it, as seen in the round-six win over the Swans. The trouble is stopping him. Aside from Jarrad Waite and Setanta O'hAilpin - who still drifts out of matches - Carlton struggle for marking forwards. The key is to stop smaller men Walker (25 goals), Jeff Garlett (25) and Eddie Betts (17) who are regulars on the scoreboard.
