<p>What more is there to say about Carlton this season?</p> <p>From bad to worse, to crisis, to just sad… the spiral of doom is real for everyone at Princes Park and their legions of fans.&nbsp;</p> <p>Now a month without a win, their latest loss came at the hands of a slick Brisbane Lions outfit last Thursday night, who proved too quick, too slick, and too good for a Carlton side that, to their credit, had a dip but was just outclassed.&nbsp;</p> <p>Ball use continued to plague the Blues, who once again butchered the footy and had forward chains chopped off by the Lions for fun, with several moments when a lack of awareness cost young players dearly.&nbsp;</p> <p>So, after a brutal month of losses and coming off a nine-day break between games, here’s a chance for Carlton to secure a much-needed win when they host Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday night.&nbsp;</p> <p>The Demons broke a five-match losing streak last Sunday against the Roos at the G and seemed to find their rhythm in the last quarter when they kicked seven goals, dishing out a dose of revenge after North Melbourne humiliated them at Marvel earlier this year.&nbsp;</p> <p>While finals are definitely out of reach for both sides, wins during tough times can reveal the true resolve of the playing group.&nbsp;</p> <p>For the Dees, there’s added motivation to win for one of their beloved players, Clayton Oliver, who celebrates his 200th game in the Red and Blue.&nbsp;</p> <p>It’s also a big night for the Carlton Football Club, as it’s the annual Carlton Respects round, where the club puts a spotlight on gender equality and raises awareness about violence against women. For Blues fans looking for any good omen, it was during the Respects round last year when everything looked bright and optimistic for the Blues… perhaps that pattern will repeat itself in hopes of changing their fortunes. We’ll see!</p> <p>On team selection, the Blues will be without both Mitch McGovern and Orazio Fantasia, who suffered hamstring strains in last week’s loss to the Lions. Son of a gun, Ben Camporeale was closing in on making his AFL debut but will have to wait after receiving a lengthy VFL suspension last weekend.&nbsp;</p> <p>Adam Saad should return after passing concussion protocols, while Jordan Boyd, Will White, and Francis Evans are all under consideration following strong VFL performances.&nbsp;</p> <p>Uncapped tall Harry Lemmey is nearing an AFL debut after being listed as an emergency again last week.&nbsp;</p> <p>For the Dees, defender Jake Lever has been ruled out after pulling up sore, but Steven May is expected to return after missing the match against the Roos due to illness. The Dees will also be without Tom Sparrow, who was concussed in the win over the Roos.&nbsp;</p> <p>For the latest team news, analysis, odds, and betting tips, check out our Blues vs Dees prediction and preview below.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Carlton vs Melbourne Predicted Teams</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Carlton Predicted Team List</h3> <p>B: Sam Docherty, Jacob Weitering, Jordan Boyd</p> <p>HB: Harry O’Farrell, Nick Haynes, Adam Saad</p> <p>C: Ollie Hollands, Patrick Cripps, Lachie Cowan</p> <p>HF: Flynn Young, Harry Lemmey, Zac Williams</p> <p>F: Will White, Charlie Curnow, Ashton Moir</p> <p>Foll: Marc Pittonet, Adam Cerra, George Hewett</p> <p>Int: Cooper Lord, Jesse Motlop, Alex Cincotta, Matt Carroll, Tom De Koning</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Melbourne Predicted Team List</h3> <p>B: Jake Bowey, Steven May, Christian Salem</p> <p>HB: Judd McVee, Tom McDonald, Xavier Lindsay</p> <p>C: Kade Chandler, Christian Petracca, Ed Langdon</p> <p>HF: Jack Viney, Bayley Fritsch, Koltyn Tholstrup</p> <p>F: Jacob van Rooyen, Jake Melksham, Kysaiah Pickett</p> <p>Foll: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, Trent Rivers</p> <p>Int: Harvey Langford, Daniel Turner, Matt Jefferson, Caleb Windsor, Harry Sharp</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Carlton vs Melbourne Prediction &amp; Betting Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Head-to-Head Prediction</h3> <p>These Blues and Demons clashes of recent times have not been for the faint-hearted.</p> <p>Six of the last eight games have been decided by five points or less, and have been decided by an average of 7.9 points since 2019.</p> <p>The Blues hold sway in the recent head-to-head, winning three of the past five matches, having won the last three battles.&nbsp;</p> <p>This will be a battle of contested bulls, with both sides playing a strong, contested brand of football.&nbsp;</p> <p>Both these teams are strong at the contest.. But they’re also the number one and two seeds when it comes to murdering the football, so it might come down to whoever uses the ball better, wins this game.&nbsp;</p> <p>Can Kysaiah Pickett stamp his authority on the game? Or will Blues stopper Alex Cincotta re-assume his tagging role on the Demons superstar after he was so effective in shutting him out of the corresponding contest last year?&nbsp;</p> <p>Then there is the curious case of Charlie Curnow. The Blues' spearhead hasn’t kicked a goal in over a month, and his team desperately needs him. He’s had some big battles with Steven May over the years, and he’s come off second best in most of them. If he fires, though, the Blues will feel like they’re in with a chance and can get the monkey off their back again.</p> <p>It’s going to be a tough watch, but the Dees stars are going that little bit better than the Blues are at the moment, so we’re going with them.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/carlton-v-melbourne-9386464">Demons</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>First Goal Prediction</h3> <p>Zac Williams has looked like Carlton’s most dangerous player in recent weeks.</p> <p>A consistent goalkicker all season, when Carlton has only averaged around eight goals a game this season, Williams has often looked like the Blue most capable of finishing his work.</p> <p>We’re backing him for the first one of the night.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/carlton-v-melbourne-9386464">Zac Williams</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Most Disposals Prediction</h3> <p>As alluded to in the intro, it’s a night of celebration for Clayton Oliver as he brings up 200 games for the Demons. In pretty quick time, too.&nbsp;</p> <p>After being thrown in a variety of different roles this year, the 27-year-old is still averaging 25 disposals and 5.8 clearances a game this season, in a sign he’s returning to his brilliant best.</p> <p>We’re backing him to top the disposal charts on his big night.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/australian-rules/afl/carlton-v-melbourne-9386464">Clayton Oliver 30+ disposals&nbsp;</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Carlton Blues vs Melbourne Demons Match Details</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Date:</strong> Saturday, July 19, 2025</p> <p><strong>First Bounce:</strong> 7:35pm AEST</p> <p><strong>Location:</strong> MCG, Melbourne</p> <p><strong>How to watch:</strong> Fox Footy/Kayo Sports&nbsp;</p>