Live: Spotlight on Curnow’s troublesome knee as Carlton faces St Kilda

Harry McKay with the quick response for the Blues as he kicks truly from a set shot!

It wasn’t the cleanest forward 50 entry as Francis Evans volleyed the ball inside 50 from the wing, and then ball lands a little short where McKay outmuscles Dougal Howard to take a diving mark.

Big for the Blues to see McKay kick confidently on his first set shot of the night.

Max Hall, take a bow!

The Saints have high hopes for this kid, and here’s why!

Hall led smartly to the pocket and then kicks truly on the set shot from an acute angle and the Saints are pumped.

Early warning signs for the Blues. The Saints have two goals from five inside 50s. The Blues yet to score from four entries of their own.

The match starts as the last Blues-Saints clash ended – with a Jack Higgins goal!

A lovely finish from the Saints goalsneak, who received a handpass from Jack Sinclair and snapped under pressure from 40m out directly in front.

Higgins now second on the AFL’s goalkicking chart with 22 majors.

Just an early look at some numbers, the Blues will want to get someone to Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, who’s already had seven touches and three marks.

We’re off and running at the home of football!

St Kilda resisting the urge to send Marcus Windhager to Carlton captain Patrick Cripps for now. Windhager is lining up on Blake Acres on the wing for the time being.

In Carlton’s forward line, it looks like Callum Wilkie will get the Charlie Curnow assignment.

Tonight’s clash is of course Spud’s Game, in memory of St Kilda legend Danny Frawley.

The two teams have formed a circle in the middle of the MCG for a moment of silence to commemorate Frawley’s life.

The lights have been dimmed as well, lovely stuff from both teams and the AFL.

Frawley’s daughter Chelsea and ex-AFL star Tom Boyd, who has become a mental health advocate, with a powerful speech in the middle of the circle.

Here’s what former St Kilda and Carlton forward Aaron Hamill said about Frawley.

Wait a minute, does this mean you think the Saints will win tonight’s match or win the race for TDK’s signature?

Or maybe both?

Loading

I’ve been calling it the Tom De Koning Bowl, but honestly, I think Bailey’s TDK Cup rolls off the tongue a lot better.

I affectionately named tonight’s clash the Tom De Koning Bowl last night, given the bidding war that’s happening between the Saints and Blues for his services.

The latest reports are that De Koning could command a salary of up to $1.7 million per year, absurd numbers for a big man if you ask me.

Nevertheless, TDK is putting up some fine numbers and should be in All-Australian contention come the end of the year.

He’s averaging career-highs in disposals (19.5), hitouts (28.8) and clearances (5.5) per game.

What do you think about how much he should earn on his next contract?

If you remember, St Kilda looked like it had denied Carlton a finals berth in one of the last matches of last year’s home and away season.

The Blues needed a win and a late Jack Higgins goal sunk them. Luckily for Carlton, Port Adelaide beat Fremantle at home in the final match of the season, allowing the Blues to sneak into the finals.

Here’s how it all panned out.

Here’s a look at the last five meetings between St Kilda and Carlton ahead of tonight’s clash.

Tonight’s match will be the first time these two sides face off at the MCG since 2019, a match the Blues won by 10 points.

Round 24, 2024: St Kilda 11.10 (76) def. Carlton 11.8 (74) @ Docklands Stadium

Round 21, 2023: Carlton 10.13 (73) def. St Kilda 8.6 (54) @ Docklands Stadium

Round 6, 2023: St Kilda 12.10 (82) def. Carlton 8.12 (60) @ Docklands Stadium

Round 16, 2022: St Kilda 14.9 (93) def. Carlton 10.18 (78) @ Docklands Stadium

Round 20, 2021: Carlton 18.4 (112) def. St Kilda 12.9 (81) @ Docklands Stadium

It looks like Charlie Curnow is indeed right to go tonight, with Carlton and St Kilda announcing no late changes to their line-ups.

Cooper Lord will start as Carlton’s sub, while Lance Collard is St Kilda’s sub.

Here’s how the two teams look.

There were concerns at training this week for the Blues when Charlie Curnow collided with teammate Tom De Koning.

Curnow took part in Carlton’s captain’s run yesterday and is expected to play tonight, with Voss downplaying suggestions he’s suffered another knee injury.

“The last 30 seconds of the drill, him and Tom had a nice little collision, so it’s not exactly what you want to see,” he said.

“I tried to have a bit of a laugh to fob it off, but holding his knee is incorrect.”

Voss also rejected suggestions Curnow had been receiving pain-killing injections in his knee to train and play.

“You don’t need to know specifics, let’s just say he’s playing.”

Good evening and welcome to ABC Sport’s live AFL coverage!

Round 9 continues this evening with what shapes up as an excellent contest between St Kilda and Carlton.

The Saints are riding high after an impressive beatdown of Fremantle last week, while the Blues are hoping to bounce back after being thumped in Adelaide.

This has the potential to be an eight-pointer, given both teams currently sit outside the top eight and are in close proximity with each other on the ladder.

The first bounce at the MCG is set for 7.40pm, so strap yourselves in as we bring you all the news in the lead-up and then the live action!