It’s tough to predict where the Carlton Blues will end up on the ladder in season 2020.
Picking the ten players they could least afford to lose was an interesting exercise. Even though Charlie Curnow is injured, for the purpose of this exercise I have included him in the list.
10. Sam Petrevski-Seton
He has the capability to become an important part of the Carlton Blues’ team as he is a player that can play plenty of roles for the team, whether it be through the midfield, on a halfback flank or on a half forward flank.
9. Charlie Curnow
Curnow will be a loss for the Carlton Blues as he will probably miss the entire season through injury. Charlie Curnow averaged the most goals for the Carlton Blues in 2019, when he averaged 1.64 goals per game, which is perhaps an indicator that the Blues need to kick more goals.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
8. Ed Curnow
Curnow finished second in the 2019 Carlton Blues best-and-fairest. Ed Curnow is a part of the leadership group in 2020 and is a part of the Blues’ midfield.
7. Marc Murphy
Murphy displayed that he still has plenty to offer from a playing perspective in Round 1 of season 2020, when his performance was impressive. Murphy missed three games in 2019 and still managed to finish eighth in the best-and-fairest and is still a part of the Carlton Blues’ leadership group in 2020.
6. Jack Martin
Martin kicked four goals in the opening game of the 2020 season for the Carlton Blues. Martin helped the Blues get back into the game with some freakish goals. He may prove to be one of the best recruits for any team in 2020 if he can replicate his performance from Round 1.
5. Sam Walsh
Walsh has leadership qualities. That’s why he was added to the Carlton Blues’ leadership group and he also happens to be a good player. He finished fourth in the 2019 Carlton Blues best-and-fairest, which was his first season, which is an indicator of how integral he is to the Blues for season 2020.
(Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
4. Levi Casboult
He showed that he is capable of playing in the ruck as Matthew Kreuzer was injured in Round 1 and managed to kick two goals on top of that. Casboult finished fifth in the 2019 Carlton Blues best-and-fairest and will be an important part of the Blues’ team given Charlie Curnow and Kreuzer are injured in 2020.
3. Sam Docherty
Docherty is co-captain of the Carlton Blues for season 2020. Docherty was sorely missed by the Blues in 2019, which he displayed in Round 1 of 2020, when he was an integral part of the Blues being competitive and not being smashed.
2. Jacob Weitering
He showed that he is an extremely important part of the Carlton Blues in 2020 when he helped keep Tom Lynch from the Richmond Tigers goalless. Weitering has been added to the Carlton Blues’ leadership group for 2020, which indicates how pivotal he is to the Blues.
1. Patrick Cripps
Cripps was the only player from the Carlton Blues in the 2019 AFL All Australian team. He is a co-captain of the footy club and leads from the front as he displayed in Round 1 of 2020 when he helped the Blues get back into the game against the Richmond Tigers. He finished the game with 31 disposals, even though there were shorter quarters. He was extremely influential on the game.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Fisher is one of my favourite Carlton players so it was tough to leave him out.
Jorge of Brisvegas
Roar Rookie
Fisher in Murphy out .
Mooty
Roar Rookie
I thought only Essendon, Richmond and Collingwood supporters ate their own until I read these comments. What are you lot like at the footy?
Stix
Guest
Missed tackles are not a stat for the public, clubs do keep them internally though. Murphy and J.Martin missed a few obvious ones in round 1 as did D.Martin. Murphy is no longer damaging like he used to be - he's 32 so no surprise I can say that for the vast majority of the players in the comp - my point is he is no longer in the top 10 players we cant afford to be without. As for clangers D.Martin has been in the top 3 in the AFL every year since 2014 and is number 1 by a fair margin (well over 4.5 per game) super damaging in front of goal though. Look forward to the Carlton discussions this coming season.
Macca
Roar Rookie
You could have always raised those clanger and missed takcle stats to rebutt however given they are more down to perception than reality I can see why you didn't. Last year Murphy averaged 3.1 clangers a game (Joel Selwood averaged 3.2), in his all Australian year of 2011 he averaged 2.5. Last year Murphy averaged 3.4 tackles a game (Joel Selwood averaged 4.1), in his All Australian year of 2011 he averaged 4.5.. There is nothing damning in those stats. Curnow won't play midfield we have more than enough nids we need to be developing in there.
Stix
Guest
Fair points but you were using the stats to make a case for Murphy without the clangers and missed tackles and just general deterioration from age and injuries. I think Melbourne (and other teams) are incompetent for not picking Casboult up - He only got a 1 year contract trigger option from us and if anyone offered 2 years he was gone - he would be the Dees 2nd best tall forward or back behind McDonald and May. Casboult is better than Jones and more versatile and we wont just play 6 talls. There is a bench too and when back from injury Curnow will play some midfield as well. Our talls are fragile always missing games through injury Kreuzer, Curnow, Jones, McGovern etc anyway. Good call on TDK but it will be him VS Pittonet VS Kreuzer (1 ruck spot) Casboult the backup duties and majority key forward/back.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Strange comment given I offered no stats for my opinion and you offered some for yours. I love Levi, I think he has been unfairly maligned for years but lets assume a fully fit list; He doesn't play a Key defensive position before Weitering or Jones. He doesn't play a key forward position before Curnow or McKay He doesn't play ruck ahead of Kreuzer or Pittonet. Given all of that for him to play we either need to play him as the 3rd tall (something that has never worked for us in recent years) or we play 2 rucks (again something that has never worked for us in recent years). If you throw in that Levi is 30 and TDK is 20, highly promising, going into his third year in the comp and will need to get some exposure to AFL footy to ensure his development continues it is much more likely that Levi is pushed out of the side than a player we can't afford to lose. Again I love Levi and I think he will play plenty of footy in the next couple of years but only because he will be the spare parts player who comes in when of the other talls gets injured rather than being an integral part of our best 22.
Stix
Guest
Watch the games not the stats. Completely disagree with you on Casboult (5th in the best and fairest last year) very underrated, can play FWD, DEF, backup RUCK, hes our best workhorse, crashes the packs, takes contested marks, protects the little blokes and has been really good 2 out of the last 3 seasons. McGovern better start doing something already though waste of talent. 2019 H.McKay 3rd in the AFL for contested marks (45 from 20 games), L.Casboult 9th (39 from 20 games). 2017 L.Casboult 3rd in the AFL (52 from 22 games)
C C DEBONO
Guest
at present, Kade Simpson
Macca
Roar Rookie
In 2019 and 1 game in 202 the only game he has had less than 20 touches is when he got injured against the giants very early (4). In his last 20 games (19 in 2019 and 1 in 2020) he has had 25 or more possessions in 13 games (65%) and from round 19 2019 on he has gone 31, 25, 29, 27,31 & 26. But if you want to think he goes missing in half his games go for your life.
Macca
Roar Rookie
The only player I significantly find out of place here is Casboult, if McKay and Curnow were both fit I can't see him getting a game (even with Kreuzer injured as Pittonet will come in as first ruck). On top of that the blues will be looking at getting game into TDK asap which may see Casboult pushed out on occasion even with Curnow injured,
Macca
Roar Rookie
Given the age profile of our mids I can see why Murphy is incredibly important to our set up. In round 1 Murphy had 26 touches, equal with Docherty and behind Cripps (31), the next best midfielder was Walsh with 19 and then Fisher with 17. He also had 5 clearances (behind Cripps with 10) and then it went E Curnow 4, Fisher 3, SPS, 3 and Casboult, Simpson and Walsh 2.
Bobby
Guest
Given that he goes missing in half the games he plays, the blues should be used to playing without him! great article this
Stix
Guest
:thumbdown: SMH no Harry McKay??? Needs to work on his set shots but without Curnow is even more important. Mark Murphy on field is no longer relevant, will be 33 by seasons end and retired this year or next (probably wants to get 300 games though). Has been a really good player for the club but 'least afford to lose' come on its 2020.