Australian Football Live Carlton Blues vs St Kilda Saints JLT Series Stream AFL 2017 Pre Seasons Week 03 match will be kick off at Ikon Park Stadium, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Saturday 04 March 2017 online, 14.05 pm (AEDT) and its broadcast on Channel Seven, Foxtell.

In a sporting era increasingly dictated by sports scientists and analytics, coaches often are frustrated they cannot let their athletes just go out and play.

That was an issue Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc encountered early last summer upon his return from injury, and it’s something Carlton assistant coach John Barker hinted at on Friday as the Blues prepared for their JLT practice match against St Kilda at Ikon Park on Saturday.

The Blues were crunched by 54 points by Melbourne last weekend in a contest where the minutes of several players were closely recorded ahead of the long season ahead.

Barker suggested sports science data should not be allowed to impact on the confidence the players are seeking against the Saints.

“It’s important that we play well as a team, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.

“Going in round one, there’s a lot in terms of game plan that we want to implement and also the mindset of playing well and feeling good about the way we are going about things. We have to weigh that up.

“There is a balance with the sports science and what allows each individual to press as well as they can physically for round one. A bit of experience goes into that but also a little bit of analytics.

“We have to make sure we don’t let the analytics and the sports science overtake … a bit of confidence and the feeling good about the way we are going into round one.”

The Blues had opted to replicate the regular season against the Demons by using 22 players in the first half, leaving four unused until after the main break.

Emerging star Patrick Cripps will step out for the first time this season, having overcome a back stress reaction.

“He’s on track, we had a fairly steadfast timeline for him … he’ll play some game time and we’re looking forward to it,” Barker said on RSN radio.

“He’s played a bit in the last couple of weeks at training and his impact in contested situations is really exciting.”

The big-bodied Cripps will help the Blues in heavy traffic, an area fellow midfielder Ed Curnow said was of concern against the Demons.

“It was a disappointing effort against Melbourne … so this week we are really focusing on the pressure around the ball. St Kilda are a side that have touched us up in the past in that area so we are looking to our senior guys to rectify that,” he said.

The Blues have also named American convert Matt Korcheck in an initial 29-man squad, to be reduced to 26 on Saturday. The former Arizona Wildcats basketball player developed into a strong ruckman in the VFL last season, playing 17 matches. He is contracted as a category B international rookie until the end of the season.

“He is a big personality, he is huge, very strong and we will be looking for strong follow-up work around the contest,” Curnow said.

Cameron Polson, Tom Williamson and Harrison Macreadie, all 2016 draftees, have also been named for the first time in a squad missing several stars, including Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs, Kade Simpson and Matthew Kreuzer.

Having finished 14th last season (seven wins), the rebuilding Blues are expected to again be a bottom-six side but president Mark LoGiudice said at the season launch the right planks were in place.

“If we take a look back to 2015, it was a year of reset with enormous change across the entire football club,” he said.

Players List:
Carlton Blues: 7. Dylan Buckley, 9. Patrick Cripps, 10. Harry McKay, 11. Sam Kerridge, 12. Blaine Boekhorst, 13. Jed Lamb, 14. Liam Jones, 16. Billie Smedts, 17. Sam Rowe, 18. Kristian Jaksch, 19. Liam Sumner, 20. Lachie Plowman, 22. Caleb Marchbank, 23. Jacob Weitering, 24. Rhys Palmer, 25. Zac Fisher, 26. Harrison Macreadie, 27. Dennis Armfield, 28. David Cuningham, 29. Cameron Polson, 30. Charlie Curnow, 31. Tom Williamson, 32. Nick Graham, 33. Jarrod Pickett, 35. Ed Curnow, 39. Dale Thomas, 42. Kym LeBois. 43. Simon White, 48. Matthew Korcheck

St Kilda Saints: 2. Jake Carlisle, 3. Jack Steven, 4. Jade Gresham, 5. Shane Savage, 6. Seb Ross, 7. Luke Dunstan, 8. Blake Acres, 9. Jack Steele, 13. Jack Lonie, 15. Jack Billings, 16. Jack Newnes, 18. Billy Longer, 20. David Armitage, 21. Ben Long, 22. Nathan Brown, 24. Sean Dempster, 25. Koby Stevens, 26. Josh Battle, 27. Josh Bruce, 28. Tim Membrey, 29. Jimmy Webster, 32. Paddy McCartin, 33. Nick O’Kearney, 34. Nathan Wright, 35. Jack Sinclair, 36. Daniel McKenzie, 37. Bailey Rice, 41. Darren Minchington, 43. Rowan Marshall