A Round 2 bye effectively precludes you from securing any Carlton players this year – why would you effectively hobble yourself by selecting a player who won’t be on the field for you that early in the season? So all of the following players come on the recommendation that you consider them after Round 2. The Blues have already had their fair share of injuries this pre-season – including Weitering, Silvagni, Martin and Walsh – which could open up opportunities for some of the following.
Defenders
Lock and Load: Nic Newman ($559,900) had a few bad games in the first half of last year but only one after The Blues’ bye (a 59 against the Hawks in Round 16). He then averaged 93 in the finals series. Will he be a Top 6 defender by the end of the year? It’s possible. I’d certainly have him in the Top 8. The unknown is what will happen to his scores with the presence of….
Money Maker: Zac Williams ($216,100). I’ll be honest, I’m not a Williams fan. Maybe it’s the $800k contract, maybe it’s the fact he turned up out of shape on day 1, maybe it’s because he’s only played 23 games for us in 3 years, maybe it’s because he does stupid sh*t like this and this, or more likely its all of the above. But divorcing heart from head as all good coaches must do, if he stays on the park and averages around 80 (which is about what he’s averaged in those 23 games in Navy Blue) he’s going to make some decent coin. And if he can reach the lofty heights of his last 20 game season (the most games he’s ever played in a season) with GWS when he averaged 102 in 2019, he may even lock up your D6 spot.
Midfielders
Lock and Load: Sam Walsh ($576,800) finished off 2023 in magnificent fashion scoring 111, 134 and 121 during Carlton’s finals run. He was my first picked for this year before the troubling news just before Christmas that he’d had a micro-discectomy procedure on his back to remove a bulging disc portion to relieve pressure on a nerve. Not ideal for my SC team nor the Blues. He played in an intra-club match this preseason but there was a bit of stiffness so I’m not expecting him to get up for the opening round. After his Round 2 bye though, he’d be a great pick up.
Feeling Lucky: Elijah Hollands ($276,300) won’t play until Round 3 due to a minor indiscretion involving some Columbian marching powder (hey at least he didn’t try to set any dwarves on fire!) but caught the eye during a recent intra-club where he rotated through the midfield and forward lines. Will want to atone for his sins with the club that took a chance on him and will love playing with his brother. Could be a great stepping stone.
Money Maker: Keep an eye on Jaxon Binns ($123,900). Aged 19, in his first year at the Blues last season he won their VFL best and fairest. He hasn’t played a senior game yet and has a fair bit of competition for a spot on the wing or in the guts but if he gets a crack at it, you can be sure he’ll grab it with both hands.
Rucks
Feeling Lucky: Tom De Koning ($411,800) has averaged in the 60’s for the last 3 years but shows glimpses of his potential (such as the 112 he scored in the semi against the Dees last year) which always gets Blues fans super-excited. While Marc Pittonet is around, he probably won’t blossom as much as we’d like him to but he might and that’s why he’s listed in the Feeling Lucky section.
Forwards
Feeling Lucky: I don’t need to tell you how good Charlie Curnow ($545,300) is. Has an ability to take over a game that has rarely been seen at the Blues since the Greek god wearing #43 was getting around. Has won the Coleman for the last 2 years averaging 3 goals a game. Has a huge ceiling (especially when playing The Eagles – 186 and 178 in 2023) but frustratingly goes missing on occasion – the 2023 finals series being one such occasion. Could be a Top 6 forward if he addresses that inconsistency.
Money Maker: It’s really hard to assess Orazio Fantasia ($175,900). He’s only played 22 games in 4 years – 13 of them coming in 2021, his first season at the Power, when he averaged 61.5. If he’s healthy and at his best, he’s one of the premier small forwards in the comp. But given his plague of injuries, those are two VERY big ifs. If he manages to oust Owies or Mottlop for a spot in the opening round team, he could be worth your consideration. Personally, I think you’ll sleep better without him in your squad.
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Other than Walsh (maybe) I don’t see any Blues being in my final team this year unless I really burn trades and need some fallen premiums to finish my team (could see a Cerra in this example, if he has a low score or two). I’ll take the rookies on offer when they’re available but I see the points being spread around a lot for my Blues. Could easily see Walsh underperforming expectations given the back concerns.
There will be plenty of times when someone like Curnow, Cripps or Cerra go on a run of scores, I’ll be resisting the hype when this happens as they’ll be overpriced by this time and will likely return to normal form. I also quite like not having Blues in my SC team, makes watching the games more fun.
Spot on.
Up the Flaggers!