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High expectations. Top four contenders. Challengers for the flag. This is one team that can be summed up in several words.
Carlton made it to the past three finals series and last season won their first finals game (defeated Essendon) since 2001.
Brett Ratten has been kept on as head coach and the team should have all the big guns back from resting on the sideline with injuries.
As the Blues strive for flag number 17, the question that will hover around Ratten’s head as well as his talent young side is, will they deliver in 2012?
Carlton showed the league last year that they now possess an elite engine room – a midfield comprising Judd, Murphy, Gibbs and the ever-improving Robbie Warnock who had a solid 2011 season that was interrupted by injuries only to come back and perform big in two finals games.
Once again, Judd had a very good season last year however the one thing I like about the way this Carlton team played was that they were less reliant on their captain – almost everyone else stepped up and Murph and Gibbs went into the elite category.
Murphy was recognised by the match committee of having a better year than Judd and duly won the club best and fairest. With Gibbs, his efforts were not purely shown in the midfield, but all over the ground – particularly in the defensive half.
The Blues possess depth in each position, similar to Geelong and Hawthorn when you look at the key positions.
Behind the elite three, Carlton has significant contributors in Scotland, Waite, Simpson, Carrazzo, Betts, Walker, Russell and Mitch Robinson.
Player who I have a watch tag on in 2012 are David Ellard – second at the club in tackles and fourth in hardball gets. He ranks right up there with James Kelly and Jude Bolton in these areas. Ellard is very good in clearances and makes the score tacker work during the game. Jamison is another who was in very good form last season – All-Australia form until he suffered an injury.
Rohan Kerr, the 59th pick in the 2009 draft – he has been in the VFL for the past two seasons. Jeremy Laider, a promising defender who started his career at Geelong – only two games however. Sam Rowe is the other who could be a sound forward/ruck for the Blues.
Ratten has set the mark high for his team across the next three years – a premiership to come within that timeframe. For this to happen, they need to beat the best in the business: Geelong, Collingwood, Hawthorn, St Kilda and West Coast – all sides that they couldn’t get by in 2011.
Don’t be surprised if this season is a Blues year.
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