Fresh off the back of their disappointing loss to the Collingwood Magpies last week, the Carlton Blues (5-3) will look to bounce back in fine style when they welcome the Melbourne Demons (6-3) to the MCG on Thursday night in AFL Round 9 action.
The Blues were on the wrong end of a nailbiter against rivals Collingwood in Round 8, going down 85-79, with Nick Daicos kicking the game-winning goal in the final few minutes, which ensured their first back-to-back losses this campaign.
Carlton are still in eighth place in the AFL standings, but they will fancy their chances of beating the Demons given that they won last season's semi-final meeting by two points and Round 22's clash by four. Melbourne handed Geelong their first loss of the 2024 season, beating the Cats 74-66 last time.
This is the first time these two teams will meet since last year’s thrilling semi-final and a similarly entertaining contest is expected here.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch Carlton vs Melbourne in the AFL, plus plenty more.
Carlton vs Melbourne date and start time
| Date | Thursday, May 9, 2024 |
| Start time | 7:30 pm AEST/ 7:00 pm ACST/ 5:30 pm AWST |
| Venue | The MCG |
| Location | East Melbourne, Australia |
How to watch Carlton vs Melbourne on TV & stream live online
There are several options to watch the Carlton Blues vs Melbourne Demons AFL game in Australia, including Network Seven, Foxtel, Foxtel from Telstra, and Kayo Sports.
The best way to livestream the aforementioned AFL game is through Kayo with a seven-day free trial. It also does not have a lock-in contract or equipment fees, which means you can cancel anytime if you are no longer using it.
All you need to decide is whether you want to pick Kayo One at $25 per month (1 stream and up to HD), or Kayo Basic at $35 per month (2 streams and up to 4K).
What channel is Carlton vs Melbourne game on?
The game will be broadcast live on 7mate on free-to-air TV, and will also be available to watch via Fox Footy on pay TV. Triple M, ABC and AFL Nation will provide the radio coverage.
Streaming the game with a VPN
- Overview of VPN services that allow access to geo-restricted streams
- How to set up and use a VPN service to stream the match
You can watch the game from wherever you are in the world by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service such as NordVPN/ ExpressVPN. A VPN will allow you to create a secure connection online when you are abroad on holiday or for work and you want to stream the game live.
If you are not sure which VPN to use or how to use a VPN, we have taken a look at the best options available out there for watching live sports - check out the best VPN services review here.
Here’s an easy step-by-step guide on how to use a VPN to watch a game when you are overseas:
- Install VPN of your choice - see our reviews here for the best options.
- Select the location you wish to connect to. This is easy - if you are visiting the UK and you wish to continue watching one of your U.S. streaming services, you would select the US.
- Grab the popcorn and get ready to watch!
Carlton vs Melbourne team news
Carlton Blues team news
The Blues could be bolstered by the returns of injured trio Jack Martin, Mitch McGovern, and Caleb Marchbank this Thursday, while Zac Williams was hooked off in last week's defeat to Collingwood with what head coach Michael Voss termed as a "tight glute" issue.
Carlton's dynamic key forward duo, Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow have been exceptional to start the year. The pair have combined for 47 goals and are two of the best score-involvement players in the competition.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Ruck | De Koning, Pittonet, Binns, O'Keeffe, Mirkov |
| Defender | Cowan, Williams, McGovern, Binns, Pittonet, Newman, Wilson, Boyd, Cincotta, Saad, Kemp, Weitering, Marchbank, Durdin, Akuei |
| Midfielder | Hollands, Cerra, Kennedy, Acres, Docherty, Carroll, Walsh, Hewett, M. Carroll, Cottrell |
| Forward | Silvagni, Motlop, Fogarty, McKay, Fantasia, Durdin, Martin, Cunningham, Young, Monahan, Moir, Owies, McKay, Curnow, Lemmey |
Melbourne Demons team news
Small defender Jake Bowey has been in regular training after recovering from a collarbone injury and could also make a return at the MCG. Christian Salem (hamstring) is also nearing a return, which could come as early as next week. Josh Schache missed last weekend's VFL match with achilles soreness and will need to prove his fitness ahead of this week's game.
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Rucks | Soldo, Sweet, Ratugolea, Visentini |
| Defenders | Burton, McKenzie, Clurey, Aliir, Zerk-Thatcher, McCallum, Marshall, Houston, Farrell, Burgoyne, Williams, L. Jones |
| Midfielders | Rozee, Sinn, Butters, Boak, Bergman, Wines, Charleson, Drew, Lorenz, Jackson, Mead |
| Forwards | Marshall, Finlayson, Lord, Scully, Walsh, Powell-Pepper, Riolli, Horne-Francis, Georgiades, Dixon, Anastasopoulos, Evans, Scully, Byrne-Jones, McEntee, Narkle |
Head-to-Head
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 28/02/24 | Carlton Blues 63-101 Melbourne Demons | AFL Preseason |
| 15/09/23 | Melbourne Demons 73-73 Carlton Blues | AFL |
| 12/08/23 | Carlton Blues 60-56 Melbourne Demons | AFL |
| 02/06/23 | Melbourne Demons 61-44 Carlton Blues | AFL |
| 13/08/22 | Melbourne Demons 79-74 Carlton Blues | AFL |