Carlton have beaten some bogey sides of late, but Blues assistant coach Robert Harvey says only a great defensive effort will help them remove another unwanted AFL streak.

Carlton will be chasing their first win over Hawthorn since 2005 when they enter Sunday's clash at Etihad Stadium.

The Blues can draw on having righted two losing streaks earlier this season, as their win over Adelaide in round four was their first over the Crows since 2004, and their thrashing of St Kilda in round seven was their first over the Saints since 2001.

Harvey said Hawthorn's recent dominance of Carlton - they have won the past six games with an average winning margin of about seven goals - was not a factor entering Sunday's game.

But he acknowledged two of the men who have good recent records against the Blues, Hawks forwards Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead, had to be curbed.

Roughead booted eight goals in Hawthorn's win in round six last year and kicked bags of five in each of the previous two clashes, while Franklin has chipped in with 12 goals from his past three outings against Carlton.

"They're as potent a forward combination as you can get, so our backs are going to have to be right on their game," Harvey said on Saturday.

"They're going to need some help to stop those two blokes, partly (from midfield), but it comes back to whoever's back there to be able to assist and come off and help.

"That's what we ask all our players to do." While Carlton enter the clash in great form and confident after running over the top of Port Adelaide last week, Hawthorn's three-point win over Richmond last Sunday - just their second victory this season - was hardly convincing.

But Harvey expected a tough contest for the Blues, who in the past month have played big games against last year's grand finalists, Geelong and St Kilda (they won both), arch rival Collingwood (lost) and Port in Adelaide.

"We've had a tough month, but there's no let up and it's a great test for our players, as young as they are and as good as they've been," he said.

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