SUPERSTAR Carlton midfielder Chris Judd will return for the Blues in tonight's clash against the Hawks at the MCG.
The Blues confirmed at selection on Thursday night what Coach Mick Malthouse said earlier in the week, that the gun midfielder would return from a hamstring injury after just one match in the VFL.
Judd is the only inclusion to the team that almost pulled off a shock victory over Geelong last Friday night, with small forward Jeff Garlett the man to make way,
Judd returned via Carlton’s VFL affiliate Northern Blues last Saturday and got through his first game since Round 5 unscathed.
He finished with 18 disposals, three clearances and two inside-50s in three-and-a-half quarters of footy.
“[The] body’s good so I pulled up well and it was just good to have a run, blow the cobwebs out and get back into it,” Judd told The Age after the game.
“That’s [to return against Hawthorn] the aim so I’ll be available now and we’ll go from there.”
The former Blues skipper last just five minutes in his one and only game this season, in his team’s win over the Bulldogs in Round 5.
Judd was the sub in that match and while he quickly gathered three disposals and added zip to the Blues’ midfield when he came on, his return was short-lived.
He was one of Carlton's best in their one and only meeting with the Hawks last year with 29 disposals, nine clearances, six inside 50s, five tackles and a goal.
The superstar midfielder will make Carlton’s midfield hard to stop, with Captain Marc Murphy in good form and Bryce Gibbs playing his best game for the year last Friday night against the Cats.
Murphy is averaging 25.8 disposals this year, while Gibbs was arguably best on ground in the loss to the Cats in his tagging role on gun Geelong midfielder Joel Selwood, while also picking up 29 disposals of his own and booting four goals.
Round 13
Carlton v Hawthorn
Friday 13 June
MCG, 7.50pm
CARLTON
B: Simon White, Sam Rowe, Michael Jamison
HB: Andrew Walker, Chris Yarran, Kade Simpson
C: Dale Thomas, Brock McLean, Dennis Armfield
HF: Sam Docherty, Levi Casboult, Troy Menzel
F: Chris Judd, Lachie Henderson, Bryce Gibbs
FOLL: Robert Warnock, Marc Murphy, Andrew Carrazzo
I/C: Andrejs Everitt, Mitch Robinson, Zach Tuohy, Jarrad Waite
EMG Jeff Garlett, Nick Graham, Matthew Watson
IN: Chris Judd
OUT: Jeff Garlett
HAWTHORN
B: Shaun Burgoyne, Ryan Schoenmakers, Luke Hodge
HB: Matthew Suckling, Kyle Cheney, Grant Birchall
C: Isaac Smith, Brad Sewell, Bradley Hill
HF: Paul Puopolo, Jack Gunston, Cyril Rioli
F: Luke Breust, Jarryd Roughead, Matt Spangher
FOLL: Jonathon Ceglar, Jordan Lewis, Liam Shiels
I/C: Ben Ross, David Hale, Taylor Duryea, Angus Litherland
EMG Mitch Hallahan, Tim O'Brien, Jonathan Simpkin
IN: Ben Ross, David Hale
OUT: Luke Lowden (omitted), Billy Hartung (elbow)
