In the back of a car on a long journey, children are famous for asking “Are we there yet?” Their attention span isn’t long, they get bored after a while, and just want to know if they’ve arrived.
Carlton is in the midst of a rebuild that is taking forever.
Fans aren’t so much impatient as they are apathetic. Opposition supporters have long since stopped paying attention. It can’t be too long before ‘I Spy’ starts getting played.
B: Lachie Plowman, Jacob Weitering, Cam O’Shea
HB: Caleb Marchbank, Liam Jones, Kade Simpson
C: Sam Petrevski-Seton, Patrick Cripps, Aaron Mullett
HF: Darcy Lang, Charlie Curnow, Matthew Wright
F: Jed Lamb, Levi Casboult, Jack Silvagni
Foll: Matthew Kreuzer, Ed Curnow, Marc Murphy
Int: Zac Fisher, Dale Thomas, Matthew Kennedy, Tom Williamson
Em: Sam Kerridge, Nick Graham, Ciaran Byrne
The Blues have been going with a dual-pronged approach during their rebuild – hitting the national draft consistently, while also hoping to hit on hidden gems from other clubs by orchestrating a mass intake every other year.
They have ten players on their list to have been taken in the top 30 in the last three drafts. They’ve done well there. Charlie Curnow and Jacob Weitering are on track to be genuine stars of the competition, a centre half-forward / centre half-back combination that will hold the club in good stead for a decade.
Sam Petrevski-Seton suggested he’s going to be a gun in his first season last year, while Zac Fisher didn’t show as much in a bits and pieces role but will gain great benefit from his 17 games.
These are the headliners from the last few drafts, with Paddy Dow, taken at pick three in the most recent national draft, predicted to join them.
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There has also been plenty of average stuff walk through the door at Princes Park, ostensibly to fill a hole while the rebuild takes place. Think of Sam Kerridge, Jed Lamb, Alex Silvagni, Andrew Phillips and Jarrod Pickett. To that list this year we can add Aaron Mullett, Cam O’Shea, Darcy Lang, Matthew Kennedy, Jarrod Garlett and Matt Shaw.
Where the Blues recruiting staff have been canny is to mostly target younger players, in the hope that the odd one kicks on. To give them due credit, they have had enough do so to make the exercise worthwhile.
They can thank their lucky stars Sam Docherty chose Carlton when leaving Brisbane. Caleb Marchbank and Lachie Plowman have proven valuable down back. Liam Jones took his sweet time, and needed a change of role, but it looks like he’ll now be a good player. Matt Wright, while not young, has been a win up forward.
The Carlton gameplan under Bolton has been reliant on intercepting in the back half of the ground, and then patient ball movement going forward.
The backline is well set up for the intercept play through Jones, Weitering, Marchbank and Plowman. They’ll be tough to penetrate. But they do look to lack some rebound class outside the ageing Kade Simpson.
Docherty did so much of the heavy lifting back there, so his ACL injury is obviously going to hurt them. Cam O’Shea looks the obvious replacement to take this role, with Tom Williamson and Ciaran Byrne in the mix here too.
The midfield will be led by the mighty Patrick Cripps, the only Carlton player in The Roar top 50 list last week; hopefully he can stay injury free.
Marc Murphy will ride shotgun again, coming off his best season for many years. His class will be at the fore of any attacking forays the Blues can muster.
Ed Curnow will help Cripps on the inside, and tag an opponent when required. Aaron Mullet has been recruited to help the outside game, potentially on a wing, and may also fill a hole at half-back.
Matthew Kreuzer is coming off a season that was career-best by a country mile. He’s only missed one game in each of the last two years after a career plagued by injury. He could easily have won All-Australian selection in 2017, and could well be seen as the number one ruckman in the competition this year.
The question is how much can the younger players add? Can Petrevski-Seton and Fisher avoid the second year blues? Is it just greater opportunity that Matthew Kennedy has been waiting for, which he will surely get now after his move from GWS?
Whichever way you cut it, the midfield looks thin after the departure of Bryce Gibbs.
The forward-line hasn’t been helped in previous years by conservative ball movement that Bolton has needed to protect the defence from cricket scores being kicked against them. But even if the Blues do start trying to attack and give their forwards plenty of one-on-one opportunities, there’s not a lot there to be scared of.
Charlie Curnow broke out in the second half of last year. In his first 11 matches in 2017 he averaged 78 per cent game time. In the next ten games he played 87 per cent. His stats and impact went through the roof accordingly. The promise of more to come after another pre-season to build fitness is exciting for all football fans. A fitter Curnow will get to more contests, allowing him to put that contested marking prowess to even greater use.
Levi Casboult will do what he does, but can become a bit more dangerous if the best defenders go to Curnow now. Wright will be solid in support as always.
Darcy Lang has been recruited to add some bite around the forward-line, and Bolton will be wanting to find some more pressure players, with that sure to be a focus of all teams this year. Pickett and Lamb were poor in this area last year. Can someone like Garlett provide the answer, like his cousin Jeff does at Melbourne?
Carlton finished 16th last year, with six wins and a percentage of 78. They’ve lost two of their best five players coming into this year, replacing them with the motley crew of O’Shea, Mullett, Lang and Kennedy.
Are the Blues there yet? The simple answer is no, and won’t be for a while yet. Now, go play with your iPad or read a book or something. And stop asking me for ice-cream. There isn’t any.
Prediction: 17th
Cam Rose ladder prediction
17. Carlton
18. Gold Coast Suns
Paul D
Roar Guru
Absolute spud, should have left him on the rack and gone for Zac Merrett instead
Macca
Guest
Here's hoping PaulD. Would you like to say Cripps is a dud so I can back him for the Brownlow? I think there is more chance the blues will end up with 4 or 5 between 30 and 40 than anyone kicking a big total.
Paul D
Roar Guru
After I bucketed Curnow last year I'm waiting for Casboult lite to kick 70+ goals this season, I can feel it in me waters. I have a knack for making predictions that backfire spectacularly
Macca
Guest
Yeah a lot to like Buzz - I hope they stick with playing McKay, Casboult and Curnow up forward, with that faster ball movement it will cause some real headaches for defences.
The Original Buzz
Guest
Very impressed with last nights game, more attacking, good effort and although they got beaten in just about every stat, they won the most important one - the scoreboard. There was a lot of things that could have been better but early in the season, I am still full of optimism with the rose coloured glasses on. Dow and Garlett played better than I expected, as did a few others. Overall, I am happy with the way they played. Bring on Richmond in round 1.
Macca
Guest
Any other blues fans excited to get a look at the boys tonight. Pretty strong side selected, hopefully the conditions allow us to get a good look at how they intend to play. Plenty of players pressing for a spot.
Macca
Guest
CARLTON'S JLT 1 SQUAD: Backs 20. Lachie Plowman 14. Liam Jones 22. Caleb Marchbank Half-backs 6. Kade Simpson 23. Jacob Weitering 38. Ciaran Byrne Centreline 18. Aaron Mullett 9. Patrick Cripps 39. Dale Thomas Half-forwards 28. David Cuningham 30. Charlie Curnow 21. Jarrod Garlett Forwards 46. Matthew Wright 10. Harry McKay 41. Levi Casboult Followers 8. Matthew Kreuzer 3. Marc Murphy (C) 2. Paddy Dow Interchange 13. Jed Lamb 7. Matthew Kennedy 4. Lochie O'Brien 1. Jack Silvagni 5. Sam Petrevski-Seton 33. Jarrod Pickett 35. Ed Curnow 25. Zac Fisher Emergencies 27. Matthew Lobbe 31. Tom Williamson 29. Cameron Polson 24. Cam O'Shea Lots of pressure on Byrne, Mullett, Thomas, Lamb, Garlett & Cuningham on Wednesday
Macca
Guest
Heard a rumour over the weekend that Williamson has a hot spot in his back - hopefully will be right to go round 1 but it will be touch and go.
Kane
Guest
Yes with "starting" being the key word
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
You might want to rewrite your line which states '...it looks like the Baggers are starting to build a culture where player’s want to stay' if you don't want people to point out the obvious and recent errors in your post!
Macca
Guest
Steve009 - I love Simpson but he is 34 and we have to look beyond 2018, I hope by the end of the year some young kid has staked his claim for his spot as getting games into a 20 year old will be better long term than playing Simpson.
Macca
Guest
You do realise I don't have to travel anywhere to post on this site right? And ballarat and Bendigo to Melbourne are about half the distance to Melbourne as from where I live and I am tipping your in laws don't have 2 girls under 10, and I dare say are retired. Again how old are you?
Chris
Guest
Delusional comments by all and sundry. The old VFL is the heart and soul of Aussie Rules and I could not give a hoot about all the Johnny-come.-latelys. Nobody can tell me tjhat Carlton Collingwood and Essendon don't maintain the AFL prosperous. Now, Hawthorn may have had their run of success and so too have Richmond but there is nothing like supporting the big three! As for the blue-baggers they tend to be more white collar and disappear when the going gets tough simply for their outside interests. Unlike some supporters who have nothing else to do with their time Carlton supporters are more multi-faceted. These comments come from a die-in-the-wool maggie who loathes them, mind you! So, all this nonsense about the new world order is not even worth commenting on. As for Richmond's triumph last year, a lot was made of it and they are not one of the top three. Imagine what would happen witjh a cup going to any of the three aforementioned. Bring back 1990!
dave
Guest
A fair few comments on Carlton by Macca on a Carlton article but way below his average. Some people love stats and I would like to see the stat Carlton comments by Macca on a Carton article vs Carlton comments by Macca on a non Carlton article. Macca seems a bit quiter than usual and at a glance It looks like the non Carlton articles might be the winner. BTW nothing wrong with supporters being overly defensive or overly optimistic of their team.It would be a pretty boring website without it.
Kane
Guest
Agreed, he's the heart and soul and will be the first bloke to put his hand up to get dropped if his form drops off. He'd be back flank/pocket in any AFL side
Kane
Guest
You might want to read what i wrote again because what you replied with has absolutely nothing to do with what i said. It's obvious why you call yourself a fisherman, obviously you're only here to try to get a few bites with that comment.
Steve009
Roar Rookie
"Simpson needs to be pushed out" Simpson is everything you want these young players to be. You don't push out leaders and people who have given so much to the club just to get some games into some kid whose got potential his yet to live up to. If his form warrants it, Simpson plays and even last year he was still one of our best game day performers. Young players need leaders to follow and there aren't to many better than Simpson
Steve009
Roar Rookie
I agree with Col as to that group of players, plus maybe Oshea, that will rotate through to cover the Docherty position. I also think that the continued improvement of Weitering, Marchbank and Plowman will help cover his loss particularly with their intercept marking. With the loss of Docherty I also see Plowman's ability to use the ball by foot and Weitering's decision making being important in the way we bring the ball out of the back line, particularly if Carlton are going to be more attacking this season as advertised. Thats a lot of names, but essentially it's going to have to be a team effort if we are going to cover the individual brilliance of one player. Fortunately it's a team game.
Mattician6x6
Guest
Col - Reason is simple. Players consistently leave poorly run and unsuccessful clubs and that is what Carlton has become.
mattyb
Guest
Lol Macca,so you can't actually attend games but you can find the time to police every single comment on the internet. Makes sense. I Actually know plenty of people in both Ballarat and Bendigo that never miss a game. I have in-laws who live in Cobram who can get to 4 or 5 games a year. They stay at my holiday house in Blackwood that isn't exactly next door to the MCG itself.