Carlton pick debutant duo for crunch away game
Carlton are punting on two AFL debutants against Port Adelaide, including a 23-year-old only a month on their list.
Both clubs have swung the selection axe, chopping four players for Thursday night's high-stakes fixture in Adelaide.
Carlton's mid-season draftee Flynn Young and 20-year-old utility Billy Wilson will make AFL debuts.
Wilson was pick 34 in the 2023 national draft and the Blues used pick four at this year's mid-season draft on Young.
"Billy, he had to bide his time ... he's a terrific young man," Carlton coach Michael Voss said.
"He's been working on his game really hard so he's certainly earned his opportunity.
"And Flynn Young will also play ... to have our sixth, seventh debutant for the year, and to have exposure to these young men, to be able to come in and get roles done, it's a credit to them, the work they've done.
"Also a real shout out to our development team because the last four or five weeks, we've seen a real acceleration in a lot of these young men's careers.
"They have got them AFL ready and now they get their opportunity."
The Blues also recalled Jordan Boyd and Lewis Young, with Voss dumping Mark Pittonet, Corey Durdin, Jaxon Binns and Matt Carroll.
Patrick Cripps missed a match-eve jog at Adelaide's Unley Oval because of illness but Voss said the captain "will be right to go."
"He came in yesterday and he was not training because he's feeling a bit off so we obviously don't want him around the main group."
Port coach Ken Hinkley dropped Ryan Burton, Jeremy Finlayson, Jackson Mead and Christian Moraes after last Saturday's lacklustre 19-point home loss to Sydney.
The Power defence has been bolstered by Aliir Aliir's return from a one-game absence because of a knee injury.
Power stalwart Travis Boak was summoned for his 379th AFL game, with Hugh Jackson and Logan Evans also returning.
Port's Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines (knee) remains sidelined for a second week.
Both the Blues (10th) and Power (12th) have six-eight win-loss records and the loser will likely slip three wins outside the top eight.
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