Blues have big shoes to fill up forward

For Carlton fans, there is a second disturbing picture Brendan Fevola creates for them in 2010. It’s the vacant goalsquare laid bare after his 11 years spearheading the AFL club’s attack.

How the Blues fill it, and the 100-goals-a-season hole Fevola leaves behind, will determine their season.

Already Carlton coach Brett Ratten has rolled out the possible options.

There’s the prospect of Chris Judd spending more time up forward.

Youngster Lachie Henderson – acquired in the trade which sent the errant Fevola to the Brisbane Lions – is a potential key forward but remains a work-in-progress.

Developing star Matthew Kreuzer has been freed from first ruck duties and can hold down a key post, along with Jarrad Waite who returns after a 2009 wrecked by a serious knee injury.

Carlton have even experimented with Irishman Setanta O’hAilpin as a tall forward in the pre-season.

But though he couldn’t be a more different player to Fevola, it is another Blues bad boy attempting to put a difficult off-season behind him that Ratten is warming to as potentially picking up the goalkicking slack.

Small forward Eddie Betts, one of three Blues disciplined over a Christmas booze cruise which degenerated into drunken mayhem, has been awesome in the pre-season.

According to Ratten he has improved his fitness, and is fast working off his penance for being arrested for public drunkenness.

“The pleasing aspect is how long he’s staying involved in the game now,” Ratten said of Betts’ pre-season efforts.

“You can see when he takes his top off, his skinfolds, everything’s in great order.

“He’s had a mixed preparation but the way he’s adapted to change what he has to do, I think he’s done it very well.”

Betts’ impressive pre-season gives hope that Carlton won’t have to contend with too much of a hangover from an off-season full of Blues behaving badly.

It started just days after their 2009 season finished with Fevola’s drunken antics at the Brownlow Medal.

The Blues decided to cut him loose, and there was a fan outcry that the club would let their most potent forward walk away.

Then Betts, injury-prone Andrew Walker and experienced Ryan Houlihan were all disciplined after various offences following the end-of-year party.

Leadership at the club was questioned. The club’s response was swift, endorsed by the AFL after a “please explain”, and all the Blues generals stood firm publicly.

On-field the signs look good if Carlton can find routes to goal.

A quality midfield, headlined by Judd, Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs, has been fleshed out further with the addition of Melbourne onballer Brock McLean.

That brings hardness to go with the silk, and opposition teams won’t be able to tag them all.

Defensively, Michael Jamison has shown he could emerge as the key backman the Blues have been desperately seeking since Steve Silvagni.

Jamison, who spent the latter half of last season injured, shut down Fevola in a practice match in late February.

Ratten also has high hopes for top 10 draft pick Chris Yarran, who struggled for impact in his first season.

“He is X-factor material. Consistency for young men is the hardest thing and that’s what he’s trying to replicate week in week out.”

Carlton face a difficult start to the season.

Aside from a round one clash with wooden spoon favourites Richmond, they play Geelong, Collingwood and St Kilda in rounds five, six and seven.

Their fate may be known early as they attempt to back up their finals appearance in 2009.

CARLTON

Coach: Brett Ratten

Captain: Chris Judd

Last five years: 16-16-15-11-7

Premierships: 16 (1906, 1907-08, 1914-15, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981-82, 1987, 1995)

Star five: Chris Judd, Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs, Matthew Kreuzer, Jarrad Waite.

One to watch: Brock McLean – high-profile pick-up from Melbourne in the draft who will provide another excellent midfield option to complement Judd, Murphy and Gibbs. Will attract far less tagging than he did with the Demons and provide Carlton with some much-needed grunt in the clearances.

Ins: Marcus Davies (Tasmania U18), Lachlan Henderson (Brisbane), Sam Jacobs (rookie elevation), Aaron Joseph (rookie elevation), Rohan Kerr (Dandenong U18), Kane Lucas (East Fremantle), Brock McLean (Melbourne).

Outs: Jordan Bannister (delisted), Adam Bentick (delisted), Cameron Cloke (Port Adelaide rookie list), Jake Edwards (delisted), Brendan Fevola (Brisbane), Adam Hartlett (delisted), Nick Stevens (retired).

Best line-up:

B: Heath Scotland, Paul Bower, Bret Thornton

HB: Andrew Walker, Michael Jamison, Jordan Russell

C: Kade Simpson, Marc Murphy, Brock McLean

HF: Simon Wiggins, Jarrad Waite, Ryan Houlihan

F: Eddie Betts, Matthew Kreuzer, Jeff Garlett

R: Robert Warnock, Chris Judd, Bryce Gibbs

I: Shaun Hampson, Andrew Carrazzo, Lachlan Henderson, Aaron Joseph

© 2010 AAP