Where and when: Gold Coast Stadium, Saturday, May 9, 7.10pm AEST
Head to head: Carlton 9 wins, Fremantle 11 wins
Last time: Carlton 14.13 (97) d Fremantle 14.4 (88), round 9, 2008, at Docklands

MISSING IN ACTION
Carlton
Adam Bentick (knee) - 5 weeks
Shaun Grigg (ankle) - test
Sam Jacobs (foot) - 5 weeks
Chris Johnson (thigh) - 2-3 weeks
Darren Pfeiffer (shoulder) - 7 weeks
Andrew Walker (shoulder) - indefinite
Robert Warnock (foot) - 5-7 weeks
Chris Yarran (hamstring) - test

Fremantle
Hayden Ballantyne (wrist) - 2 weeks
Kepler Bradley (knee) - available
Andrew Browne (personal) - indefinite
Ben Bucovaz (hip) - available
Brent Connelly (hip) - available
Des Headland (calf) - 1 week
Chris Mayne (ankle) - 2-3 weeks
Brock O'Brien (quad) - 2-3 weeks
Rhys Palmer (knee) - Season
Ryan Crowley (foot) - TBC

FORM
Carlton: WLLWL
Fremantle: LLLWW

SUMMARY
Things have turned around rapidly at Fremantle Oval in the past fortnight, with wins over the Sydney Swans and West Coast buoying the club. Stephen Hill's NAB Rising Star nomination was the cherry on top as Freo looks to steal some victories this season while it bloods anywhere up to nine of its 14 first-year players.

Four straight losses to open the season had the players and coach Mark Harvey in the spotlight, but they travel to the Gold Coast with renewed confidence.

Carlton has given up home ground advantage to take this game to the new football frontier, robbing it of an edge it would dearly love as it sits 3-3 after six rounds. Its epic four-point loss to Hawthorn last week was preceded by an impressive 43-point win over the Bulldogs, but losses to the Sydney Swans and Essendon have the top four-fancies in need of a win this week. 

PLAYER TO WATCH
Chris Judd (Carlton)
With chief tagger Ryan Crowley out of Fremantle's side, Chris Judd is likely to enjoy Saturday night on either a part-time negator or Freo skipper Matthew Pavlich. The Carlton star's 34 possessions were all class against the Hawks last week, and his current form suggests nothing the WA club can muster will stop the Brownlow medallist in round seven.

Roger Hayden (Fremantle)
It's no coincidence Fremantle's horror start to 2009 coincided with a hamstring injury for Hayden. Likewise, the brighter outlook two straight wins bring to the club has much to do with the classy defender's return. Hayden has been crucial in both wins for Freo, pushing up the ground to play both midfield and forward. With defensive reinforcements on the way to cover midfield losses, Hayden may make a more permanent switch into the engine room from this week.

QUESTION MARKS
Will Carlton regret playing a home game outside of Melbourne? It has won one of its past four clashes in Queensland.

Can Fremantle's young players stand up for the third straight week? Nic Suban, Stephen Hill and Matt de Boer are likely to be stretched following the losses of Crowley and Palmer.

WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
There is always talk of a derby hangover after Fremantle clash with West Coast, but Carlton played in an early-season gem against Hawthorn last week. How both sides back up from the big games will be crucial, but the travel factor is somewhere near eliminated. Midfield losses are likely to hurt Freo, especially against the class of Carlton's main four, and will see them struggle to break even in the middle and boot a winning score.  

PREDICTION
Carlton by 34 points
   
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.