2022 Fixture Preview
Written by Ari Stamatakos
Despite it not being official - the AFL Pre-season has unofficially started. The fixture is out and despite not all times and dates being confirmed yet, Blues fans know who we play and where for the 23-round season. With the underwhelming campaign last time out, the Baggers faithful will be looking at every round with intrigue as they look to see where games will be dropped. Let’s take an in-depth look at the opening 6 rounds of the season, with a brief overview of what the rest of the season has in store for Carlton.
Who do they play twice?
The Baggers will play, Collingwood, Fremantle, GWS, Adelaide and Richmond. With two doubleheader rivalries, this will test the bottle of the Carlton side. Seeing whether or not they can handle the pressure of playing the big clubs, on the big stage, twice in one season. Disappointed that the Baggers don’t play the Bombers twice, as that big stage will bring out the big crowds in a high-intensity atmosphere
Round 1
Like always, it’s Richmond. Despite it not being the opening game of the season, it is still on a Thursday night and at the MCG. A Carlton home game, this will be an incredible test for this young side under a new coach. Granted, it’s not the same Richmond side that we have seen over the last couple of years. But they will be roaring and ready to avenge the disappointing season they have just had.
Carlton hasn’t win this fixture since 2012. Since then they have been smashed from pillar to post, as despite some promising comebacks in various games, they never really had a chance in any of the games. In Voss' first competitive game as head coach, he will be looking for intensity and fight from the very first bounce. This is a non-negotiable if Carlton wants to be a serious contender for finals this season. The Blues must win this game if they want to stamp their mark on the competition.
Round 2
To be the best, you got to beat the best. Based on season 2021, there is only one team better than the Western Bulldogs - so this will be as good as it gets for the Blues. Another Thursday night primetime, but this time they travel to Southbank as they take on the Doggies at Marvel Stadium. The Dogs would have had a chance at redemption in the Grand Final re-match the previous week, so if they were to get up, then they would be the best team in the league. The Doggies will be looking to rebound after last-years heartbreak, another team the Blues will face who has a chip on their shoulder.
This match makes the Richmond game even more important. Carlton cannot afford to go into a round 3 being 0-2. If that were to happen, then you can pretty much call finals off right there. They need to back up a hopefully good performance against the Tigers - with an even better performance against a harder side. The Blues usually play pretty well against the Doggies, having a reasonable record at Marvel. The Blues deserved to get more out of this fixture last season, and they will be looking to one back on the Dogs after they overran them, this game last year. The minimum record that Blues need to have by the conclusion of this game is 1-1.
Round 3
This is where the fixture starts to ease up on the Blues. After a tough start, they remain in Melbourne but move back to the MCG on a Sunday afternoon against Hawthorn. This is potentially the first game of the season where Carlton will go in heavy favourites - something that the Baggers haven’t been able to deal with over the recent years. Hawthorn, under new coach Sam Mitchell, will be looking to silence the doubter and get off to a good start. They have a reasonable start to the season, so the Hawks will be looking to get a major scalp and they have acted as a Banana skin for the Blues in recent years - this could be the game where they get it.
The Blues won this fixture unconvincingly last season. They will be looking to dominate proceeding and turn that unconvincing win into siren-to-siren domination. How does Voss’ coach in his first match as a clear favourite, well only time will tell? Hopefully, he is more proactive, looking to put the foot on the throat of the Hawks and end the game early. That is something that the Blues haven’t been able to do, they always allow the opposition to get into the game in some form. Voss will need to instil a ‘dog’ mentality where they don’t stop until the final siren. Give the opposition no hope. This, once again, is non-negotiable.
Round 4
It seems like tradition at this point. Early on in the season the Blues go up to Gold Coast and verse a Suns side who normally start the season like a house on fire. This time it’s in the graveyard shift. Sunday 4:40, I guess that’s what you get when both sides have underperformed for the best part of a decade. Gold Coast will be under the pump, their pre-season expectation will be as high as ever, due to the constant promise but no return season after season. After an exceptionally tough start to the season for the Suns, they would need to find a win from anywhere, and they have form at upsetting the Blues when no one thinks they could.
The Blues will have revenge on their minds. After the finals crushing capitulation at the hand of The Suns in round 21 last season, the Blues will look to smash them from pillar to post. There should be no mercy shown and the fans will expect nothing short of domination. This fixture last season saw a tight affair separated by individual brilliance on a dewy night. The conditions will hopefully be dryer and The Blues will hopefully be able to get a much more convincing win.
Round 5
Well, let’s hope it’s not as bad as last year. The same date, the same team, the same ground. Port Adelaide at the MCG on April the 17th. Last year the Blues fell in a very disappointing result which showed a lack of heart and character. After another season of heartbreak for Port Adelaide and considering the relatively hard start they have been given, they will without a doubt be up for this game and will bring 100% intensity from the very first bounce.
Carlton needs to match that energy. The Blues need to step out on the MCG and be ready for war. That’s what makes the difference between a good team and an average one. A team ready for finals, and a team that is still years away. After two weeks of relatively easy fixtures, it will be interesting as to how the Blues respond to a big pressure game against finals level opposition. This is the calibre of side that Carlton will look to compete with this season. This is another side who, if Carlton can knock off, will announce them to the rest of the competition as a team to take seriously.
Round 6
In the last round, we'll look at it in-depth. Carlton travel for the second time this season - this time on Saturday Night against Fremantle. While this away fixture was played at the MCG last year, the Blues love playing away to Freo. First, it was the Marc Murphy banana, then it was the Jack Newnes after the siren and then it was the Sam Walsh snap from the pocket. All goals that sealed the game in equally unbelievable manners. The Dockers will be a very tough test. They are in a similar position to us and will be looking to make that breakthrough and become a finals side. They will be determined to avenge the heartbreak over the last 3 years, potential banana skin for The Blues.
Carlton will be looking to finish off the early part of the season with another victory. They know that they have the wood over the Dockers in this fixture and will be looking to ride that momentum into this game. This is another borderline non-negotiable game for Carlton. If they want to make finals, these are the games you must win, regardless of it being home or away. Hopefully, the Baggers can do it in a less heart-stopping match and finish the game early.
Key Pointers
The Blues the bye in round twelve - but what comes either side of the bye is most interesting. In round 9 they verse Collingwood, then after the bye, they play Essendon and Richmond in back-to-back weeks. This is an intense couple of weeks for the Blues.
Another key point is where they travel. As mentioned, they verse Gold Coast and Fremantle away from home in the opening 6 games of the season. As well as this, they return to W.A to play West Coast in round seventeen and Brisbane at the Gabba in round twenty-one. They also travel to S.A to verse Adelaide in round Twenty.
For a spicy last round of the season, the Blues face the old enemy, Collingwood, in round 23. Hopefully, this isn’t the last game of the season for the Blues, but it would make for a beautiful welcome to finals if they can knock them off.
Easy or Tough Fixture?
For once the AFL has given the Blues the goods. Fox Footy ranks this as the easiest fixture out of the 18 teams and there are good reasons for that. We only need to travel 6 times. Twice to Western Australia, Twice to Queensland, Once to New-South Wales and Once to South Australia. We only play one side who finished in the top 6 last season twice, and we have an even split between games at the MCG and Marvel Stadium. With the luck of the draw with the fixture, there is no excuse for the Blues not to make major inroads towards finals this season.
Prediction
Wins: 14
Losses: 8
Position: 6th
