After bottoming out in recent years, Carlton are starting to show some promise for the future. With two picks in the top ten and another coming at No.30, the draft will give them a chance to continue the rebuild.
Outlook
Draft picks: 3, 10, 30
Click here to see the rest of Maddy’s draft analysis.
Carlton lost one of their star midfielders in Bryce Gibbs, which was disappointing for the club, and will leave a gaping hole in the midfield next season. However, it did well to redress this through bringing in inside midfielder Matt Kennedy from GWS, as well as the zippy Darcy Lang.
Both players add something to the Blues’ side, and should be in the mix for Round 1 next year. The Blues also acquired ruckman Matthew Lobbe from Port Adelaide as a depth player.
(Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
In exchange for Gibbs, the Blues managed to snare pick 10 this year as well as Adelaide’s 2018 first-round pick, which was an excellent result for a player who will be 30 next year. This puts the Blues in an enviable position heading into draft night, and should allow them to add some more top-end talent to their young list.
What they need
After turning over nearly two thirds of the list in the past few years, there are a number of areas the Blues still need to address on their list. Most notable among these is the need to bolster their forward line – they were one of the lowest scoring teams in the competition in 2017, largely due to their defensive mindset, but also largely necessitated by not having a forward line capable of kicking big scores.
Depending on how the Blues’ structure their team this year, they could also do with a genuine, crumbing small forward, as well as more outside midfield run.
Who they might consider
At Pick 3, the Blues are almost guaranteed of netting a future gun. They’d happily snap up any of Cam Rayner, Adam Cerra, Paddy Dow, Andrew Bradshaw, Luke Davies-Uniacke or Jaidyn Stephenson. They’re in a great position to wait and see who falls through to them.
Pick 10 is an interesting one – the Blues really just need to wait and see who falls through to them here, which will likely be predicated on what Collingwood does at pick 6 and the Bulldogs at pick 9.
If Jarrod Brander or Darcy Fogarty are still available, I’d expect the Blues to take either one, but if both are gone, they could look at midfielders such as Hunter Clark and Charlie Constable or defender Nick Coffield. If Jack Higgins is available, they’d have to look at him, because he definitely won’t be available at their next pick.
Pick 30 will be another waiting game, but they’ll still get a good player here. Medium forward Jordan Houlahan, smalls Gryan Myers and Dylan Moore, or half-back Riley Stoddart, would all be good choices here.
Draft/trade strategy
I mentioned before the Blues’ recent list overhaul. That continues this season, and this may be one of the last drafts in which the club invests heavily before looking to free agency to bolster its list. It goes without saying, but the club needs to maximise its selections this year if it wants to continue moving forward.
Two picks inside the top 10 is a windfall, and there’ll still be some good players around at pick 30, including some who may fall, as is inevitably the case.
With their first two picks, I expect them to take best available, although if a tall forward like Brander or Fogarty is available at pick 10, they’d be hard pressed to pass them over. With their later picks, they can look to address needs, and give themselves the best possible position to move up the ladder again next year.
Jean Smith
Guest
Docherty is not leaving Carlton so I wouldn't take for Lamby's word on that , Docherty actually wanted to come to Carlton before he joined Carlton so Lamby should get his facts right there was never any hint he was leaving Carlton.
Macca
Guest
Fine HTH - but it that snapshot make sure you get the date and note that at the time of making the statement we had not yet had the 2017 draft and the blues still had 7 open spots on their senior list so we have the correct context in which the statement was made. As for Bolton being sacked after 2020 that is impossible to say, Geelong almost sacked Thompson after 6 years with no success but the held firm and won 3 of the next 5 premierships. If Carlton finished bottom 6 in 2019 and 2020 then he would likely be in trouble if the missed finals by percentage in 2020 after losing a handful of close games and being hard hit by injury then he would be safe. As I have said numerous times, as long as we continue to make progress and the team continues to develop the supporters will be happy. Finally on "snapshotting" my comment - maybe you should start getting what has happened correct before you start potting people for predictions about what will happen in 3 years time. P.S. if the "flag favourites" Essendon don't win a final for the 14th year in a row I assume you will be calling for Thompson to be sacked?
Harsh Truth Harry
Roar Rookie
okay then I have snapshot this comment from you and will revisit it when we get to 2020....I also wanted to ask should Bolton be replaced if no finals by 2020?
Macca
Guest
HTH - we were told it would be a 5 year rebuild - 5 years ends after the 2019 season, we should be expecting finals from then on. Premierships are hard to win so no one should ever expect to win one. But if pushed I would say 2019 we should be around the 6-12 mark, 2020 should be well into finals and a premiership anytime from then on.
Harsh Truth Harry
Roar Rookie
What year will you consider it acceptable Carlton next make finals? What year do you consider it acceptable Carlton win the flag next?
Macca
Guest
The fact that its the way you feel is proof enough that it shouldn't be (and won't be) done. You are like George Constanza - you should always do the exact opposite of what your instincts tell you to do.
Macca
Guest
An Essendon supporter of all people should realise the risks of going after short term gains. The blues are aiming high - just making sure that when we climb the mountain we stay there for a long time.
Harsh Truth Harry
Roar Rookie
yes I feel genuine Blues fans should already be storming the castle and beheading the king
Harsh Truth Harry
Roar Rookie
oh yes the new mantra of SOS...aim low and then if we miss we aren't missing by much!
Cat
Roar Guru
Half is being generous too.
Macca
Guest
Deir-ba-zor - Careful with that twist on Harry's name, there are some very sensitive Petals around.
Deir-ba-zor
Guest
Finally a smart comment from Half wit harry.
Steve009
Roar Rookie
Still no team for Tasmania in your super league Harry
Steve009
Roar Rookie
Even by judging Carlton by wins and losses you can see the improvement if you want to look. All but 1 of the wins in 2016 were when we were playing all our veteran (list cloggers), last year we almost won the same amount of games with a very young team.
Macca
Guest
Yes it does - it's not immobile at all. Once again you can see you argument has no merit, just can't bring yourself to admit it
Macca
Guest
No one is thinking going backwards will be accepted, we just don't think that wins and losses are the only measurement of progression. It also a lot that Carlton is in crisis when they reach the depths of being just better off field as the Bulldogs in a premiership year. Your best is as bad as it gets for us apparently.
Mattyb
Guest
Macca,the immobility of the side you selected speaks for itself. Surprised you don't have stats for McKay.
Mattyb
Guest
I tend to agree with that except I agree with the people who are expecting some improvement rather than the ones who think going backwards again will be accepted within the club. I'm certainly encouraging fans to purchase a membership to help address the membership issue and also encourage them to support the side onfield by getting along to some games. Carlton now comparing themselves to Footscray,Melbourne and StKilda seems to be what's causing issues inside and outside the boardroom. Carlton were once a very proud club where excuses were absolutely frowned upon and rivalry generally reserved for the bigger clubs,they've certainly fallen a long,long way in that regard unfortunately.
Macca
Guest
Mattyb - are your u saying Worsfold in the final year of a 3 year contract would b more secure than Bolton because he took Essendon to a large finals defeat this year before missing finals the next (theoretically) when the side he took over n 2015 had mad finals in 2014 and is much more developed than he blues simply because his contract (despite terminating next year) is somehow more proper?
Macca
Guest
Yawn - that's the irony in this Mattyb keeps accusing blues supporters of bein impatient but he is the only one complaining about the progress