Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
The George Hewett recall is official as Carlton Blues senior coach Michael Voss looks to bolster his engine room for Friday night's daunting trip to the Gabba. After spending over a month in the VFL, the reigning best and fairest winner returns to the senior side to face a powerhouse Brisbane Lions midfield.
Michael Voss confirmed the selection on Wednesday, citing the need for greater reliability and contested ball winning against the high-flying Brisbane Lions. The inside midfielder forced his way back after a dominant 31-disposal performance against the St Kilda Saints at the lower level.
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Banging the Door Down
George Hewett was surprisingly omitted from the Carlton Blues lineup following the Good Friday loss to the North Melbourne Kangaroos. Since then, he has been a standout in the reserve grade, consistently finding the football and adding scoreboard pressure.
“He’ll play; he’s been really strong over the last couple of weeks,” Michael Voss said regarding the selection. “He’s added a couple more things into his game in the last few weeks which we’ll hopefully see in this game.”
Tactical Adjustments at the Gabba
The Carlton Blues have struggled with second-half fade outs and defensive consistency throughout a difficult opening period of the 2026 season. Michael Voss believes that winning the ball at the source is the only way to protect a defense that has felt the heat recently.
“We know what we get with George, he’s very reliable. You’ve got to factor in what our balance is looking like (and) he brings a strong contest game,” Michael Voss explained. “When we talk about Brisbane, they’re strong around stoppages and we’ve got to get our hands on the ball first.”
The coach emphasized the importance of staying connected for all four quarters to avoid another disappointing collapse. For the latest team selections and injury updates, fans can visit the AFL official website.