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Carlton’s navigation of their list will be an intriguing watch as new interim coach Josh Fraser leads the club through the remaining 14 matches of the season.
Fraser will be exploring the possibilities of the Blues’ list, while everyone both inside the club and out is aware that finishing last will give Carlton the best hand to attack a draft that is certain to yield them father-son prospect Cody Walker. But the Blues’ list-management decisions will be made with fresh eyes, after the departure of list boss Nick Austin, who announced his resignation on Tuesday.
Under new rules, the first pick in the national draft would allow the Blues to select Walker and hang on to the first-round selection attached to Sydney, thereby giving them two top-20 talents.
The alternative would be finishing higher than bottom and potentially being forced to match a bid for Walker, which would swallow both selections. Under the rules, they won’t get a compensation pick in the second round as other bottom-five clubs might if their pick slides back due to early bids.
Walker is outstanding, with his kicking the only slight knock. He deserves time to develop when he finally arrives to play alongside Jagga Smith, Harry Dean and Harry O’Farrell, who are bankable.
Matt Carroll and Talor Byrne have shown good signs too, while Jack Ison has promise but is yet to play a game. Having another top-20 selection begin their career with the son of Andrew Walker would be the ideal plan.
They begin Fraser’s reign in 16th place and 19 percentage points ahead of Essendon (17th) and Richmond (18th). The three power clubs face each other in three decisive matches in the remainder of the season, with the Blues facing Essendon in round 13 and Richmond in round 17.
More fascinating will be the decisions long-serving contracted Blues such as Patrick Cripps, Harry McKay and Jacob Weitering make on their own future at season’s end.
Do they take the same path as Charlie Curnow and push to exit in an effort to lift their career winning percentage above 40 per cent in the latter part of their careers? Cripps has had six coaches in his time at the Blues. He might want to face his next one in a new lecture theatre.
The first job of the new Blues coach will be to convince that experienced trio the plan is strong as their presence alongside Sam Walsh is vital, particularly if they want to be in the market for opposition talent. Carlton CEO Graham Wright – who recast the Magpies after Nathan Buckley’s departure midway through 2021 – said he expected them to remain. It’s round nine. Anything could happen.
If any of the trio push for a trade, the club may have little choice but to realise whatever trade value they can obtain. The three players would each command a first-round selection as a starting point. Contracted midfielders Adam Cerra and George Hewett would also be attractive to other clubs and more replaceable but would more likely be worth second-round draft selections.
Ollie Hollands is the only unsigned player with any potential trade value, but he will be a required player.
Adam Saad, Lachie Fogarty, Lewis Young, Nick Haynes and Zac Williams are on shaky ground, while Mitch McGovern, Francis Evans and Nic Newman are making a reasonable case to be retained as their form is solid.
Finding the balance is important, ensuring depth and experience is retained.
Wright was the brains behind the Magpies’ decision to appoint Craig McRae as coach for 2022 after Buckley departed mid-season following a huge purge at the end of 2020 when Jaidyn Stephenson, Adam Treloar and Tom Phillips were all traded.
At the end of 2021, four players from the 2018 grand final team – Levi Greenwood, Josh Thomas, Chris Mayne and Brayden Sier – finished up, with Mark Keane and Anton Tohill also departing. Max Lynch was traded out and Jay Rantall delisted.
He re-signed Scott Pendlebury, Mason Cox, Jack Ginnivan, Jack Madgen, Trey Ruscoe, Tom Wilson, John Noble and added Patrick Lipinski and Nathan Kreuger via trades. Five players were drafted, led by Nick Daicos, with Collingwood’s decision to trade out their first selection a year earlier meaning any remote chance of getting two first-round picks into the club was denied.
The parallels of a big off-season followed by an early coach departure, followed by a list shift, are obvious.
Carlton will be hoping the Magpie premiership player’s magic dust can rub off on this all-too-familiar era at the Blues.
Action for Jaxon as mid-season draft looms
Tasmanian defender Jaxon Artemis is at the top of the list of potential state league players being considered for a rookie list spot at the AFL mid-season draft in a fortnight.
The South Fremantle premiership player, who joined the Devils, has shown his damaging kick in the VFL playing as a wingman and across the backline.
Richmond may have the first pick if they open up a spot, with their VFL player Sam Toner under their nose. He is an outstanding mark and has been in good form, however his presence at Punt Road does not guarantee the Tigers would take him. West Coast will take at least one player, with Port Adelaide also having two list spots that could be filled.
Other clubs who have a spot open if they want to make a selection – such as St Kilda, Adelaide, Hawthorn, Geelong, Sydney and GWS – will be dictated by need and just who remains available as the pool is not considered deep, according to four list managers this masthead spoke to.
Artemis’ teammate with the Devils, Max Mapley, has been playing in the ruck and other clubs believe the Demons have shown interest if they decide to open up a list spot. He showed great athleticism and could play behind the ball, but he would be a long-term prospect.
Clubs have been looking at players with state league experience with another former South Fremantle player, Tom Bell, who is playing SANFL with Adelaide, high up in club rankings.
Michael Voss’ nephew Jackson Voss, son of former Lion and Saint Brett, is being considered for a spot, as are Coburg’s Tom Barnett, North Melbourne’s Xavier Bamert and Toner, who have made a good case to recruiters.
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