Carlton Blues Season Preview

Brett Ratten has it all in front of him now. From their best finish in recent history, a promising future and eyes on a Top 4 spot, it has fallen in a bit of a heap. Yes, the loss of Fevola will hurt considerably, he has been the marquee player, and leading goal kicker for a long period. They still have a good blend of youth, and some key senior personnel, so perhaps not all is lost. So what tricks do the Blues have up their sleeves to ensure they remain finalists?


Forward Line:

So how are the Carlton forwards going to kick match winning scores? Who do they have that can even play forward I hear you asking... Well there is no quick fix or easy answer to this question. Lachie Henderson is one name that is sure to be mentioned frequently. As part of the Lions trade for Fevola Henderson has ended up as a Blue, and he is a big, strapping lad who has spent most of his time in Brisbane playing in the back half. He was however recruited as a key forward, and should be given the opportunity to develop there for the Blues. He won't be the saviour though, but if he can return 30 goals, that would be a terrific result and ease the burden.

A bit of a forgotten man, Jarrad Waite is the key in this writers opinion. Waite has the size, the experience and the ability to become the Blues focal point. At his best, he's one of the most versatile swing men in the AFL, able to play forward and back, kick goals and battle against the better key forwards. So where will he be most value? Well surely this year, it's in front of the big sticks. If Carlton are going to challenge for the Top 8 again this year, a lot of responsibility rests on Waite's shoulders. He'll want a return of 50+ goals, and if he can do so, the Blues should be well on their way.

Eddie Betts will supply a few goals, and the Blues will also be hoping the young Chris Yarran can play some meaningful football in the forward half. Combine this with a midfield who loves kicking goals, including Judd, Murphy, Gibbs, Simpson and a host of younger players who don't mind a shy at the sticks including Mitch Robinson and Kreuzer, who could find himself spending more time in attack. The Western Bulldogs showed last year that an even spread of goal kickers can equate to some very large scores, and if the Blues follow suit, they will challenge again.

Key Player: Jarrad Waite

He's the man. He's very much an underrated player outside of Carlton circles, but one that every club would love to have on board. After battling injury worries last year, the big 194cm, 97kg key position player should be ready to go by Round 1 of the AFL Premiership Season. His ability to kick goals is now super important to Carlton's finals chances, and entering the prime of his career, a rejuvinated Waite is certainly the man capable of improving the Blues fortunes.

He gives them added versatility, and by playing him forward it will make the job easier for the developing Henderson as well as any ruckman who finds himself resting in the F50 throughout the match. Waite will take contested marks, but is also mobile enough to cause headaches for some of the more old school defenders out there. He'll also be making the most of more entries targeting him, and some great delivery from a quality midfield. He's going to have a great year, bookmark it.


Midfield:

The midfield will again be the major strength of Carlton. They have a number of established players including Chris Judd, Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs - all top line midfielders who have worked well together. Murphy and Gibbs will be looking to improve again, and Judd should be raring to go after completing what is regarded as his best pre-season at his new club. The remainder of the midfield isn't bad either, Kade Simpson has come along in leaps and bounds, and is now regarded as a quality run and carry midfielder who can also win his own ball.

Add in to the mix a few younger guys including Mitch Robinson, a long time favourite of this writers, Shaun Grigg who'll be looking to build on a disappointing 2009, Chris Yarran who will be looking for the occassional burst through the middle and Kane Lucas who already having some senior level experience out West will be hoping to play a few senior games in 2010. That's some quality youth coming through, and all offer something slightly different, making it a very exciting mix. Aaron Joseph also arrived last year as a tagger, and should continue to improve this season with the Carlton Match Committee hoping that he can add some more offensive weaponry to his arsenal and become damaging with the ball in hand, as well as a preventer.

Brock McLean is the other player worth mentioning here. He's already come under the scrutiny of the Carlton supporters for his lacklustre performance in their opening NAB Cup game. What will he add to the mix? Brock is a slow, in and under player, so if he can find his feet in that role, he could potentially add a lot to their mix. He'll block and sheppard for the younger blokes, he'll win hard balls on his knees and use his hands to create space for the players who do their best work outside - and there are a lot of them.

Key Player: Bryce Gibbs

There has already been a lot of expectation put on Gibbs, and he's probably already exceeded most of it with what he has accomplished thus far in his short career. He's the perfect midfield weapon. Inside, outside, he's got great hands, enough pace, beautiful foot skills, overhead marking ability, a defensive side...is there a box he doesn't tick? If Carlton are to again challenge in September, this man is the key. Forget Judd and Murphy, we know what they can do and we know they'll attract a lot of attention from opposition stoppers.

This will allow Gibbs to go under the radar a little, and if he can again improve by 5-10%, watch out. He's already in the top 20 midfielders in the competition, but the ceiling on Bryce is limitless, he could become the best midfielder in the competition, such is his array of talents. He's still only young, and has a lot of hard work in front of him, but he is the man capable of setting up the Blues season over the first few rounds whilst Judd is suspended.


Rucks:

Carlton certainly have a lot of rucks at their disposal. The challenge will be finding the right combinations, and deciding if perhaps one of them will be better suited in a permanent role in the forward half. Kreuzer is obviously the strongest contender - he's not bad with his tap work, but around the ground he excels. The only issue is, he seems the more likely of the foursome to be able to compete successfully up forward. Is this a luxury they'll be able to afford, and if so, will Kreuzer be able to be effective spending more time up forward?

Shaun Hampson is a huge unit, and it will be expected that he'll also be given some opportunities in the forward half to showcase his abilities. He's an exciting ruck prospect too, measuring in at over 200cms and over 100kgs. The rest of the bunch will also be given opportunities, and Warnock was played in the NAB Cup opening round, and whilst not a terrific performance by any stretch, showed a bit in patches. Sam Jacobs from South Australia is the other big man who had a few opportunities last year and didn't look out of place. After arriving at the club as a rookie, he managed 4 matches for the 2009 season and was justly rewarded with a spot on the senior list. This kid looks very promising, and seeing the strides he can take this year will be very intriguing.


Defenders:

The Carlton defence has long been regarded as their weakness, however it has improved over the past few seasons, and now appears to be slightly underrated across the board. In Jamison they have unearthed a player who looks capable of becoming a career-quality key position defender, and they are not easy to find. He'll work in conjunction with a few other underrated players, including Thornton, Walker, Bower and O'hAilpin who'll all be vying for roles in the back half. Not a bad bunch of players there in support, and certainly enough quality to build a solid defensive unit around.

Add to that mix the experienced Carrazzo, Russell and swingman Scotland, they have a few senior players capable of filling the roles of smaller defenders. Let's not forget Armfield, who'll be looking for more senior opportunities in 2010. What would be terrific to see, would be one of the youngsters, such as Grigg, Robinson or Lucas given a role running and carrying the ball out of defence. Chris Yarran could also be a viable option for his role, and would match up well on the majority of small "goalsneak" forwards that are common at most clubs. With his ball use and decision making streaming out of defence, he could add a lot to their mix.

And that will be the key for their back line, finding that balance between attack and defence, and finding players capable of running, carrying and delivering the footy from the back half.

Key Player: Michael Jamison

Having a key defender capable of holding opposition key forwards is a must, and Jamison looks capable of being that bloke. His defensive side is good, he has good closing speed for a big unit, and isn't afraid to throw his body into a contest to make the last second spoil. At the moment, he's very much a blue collar defender, but he has also demonstrated the ability to run off his opponent when the time is right.

He needs to continue to work on his offensive skill set, but he has shown all the signs, and with the Carlton back line looking fairly capable, with a good range of taller players, Jamison may be able to experiment more often with taking the game on and making his opponent accountable. This is a must now, with key defenders such as Scarlett, Lake and Gilbert readily moving the ball forwards. If Jamison can continue to develop and improve in the role, the Blues could have themselves a winner here.


Conclusion:

So just how will it all fall together? Will their defence hold up? Can their midfield produce the same quality it did in 2009, or can it improve again? Is Waite the answer up forward? Can Eddie Betts match his 2009 output? There is certainly much to like about what lies ahead, but caution must also be shown. There are no guarantees, and certainly there are a lot of unknowns. In this writers opinion, they will miss the final 8. Not for lack of trying, or even lack of improvement, but this season promises to be one of the most even, ever. There are bound to be a lot of significant improver's, such as Hawthorn, so whilst the Blues will be hopeful of maintaining ground, that may not be enough, but hey, stranger things have happened....


Finish: 6-10.

B&F Winner: Chris Judd

NAB Rising Star Nominations: Mitch Robinson, Chris Yarran.

Injured Players for Rd 1: Brad Fisher has unfortnuately injured his ACL, word is he will be having LARS surgery on his knee, so may return during the 2010 season. Marc Murphy and Jarrad Waite are both on the come back from surgery, Murphy will definitely play Rd 1, and Waite should - although may come back slightly later.

Brownlow Medal Hope: Marc Murphy.

Leading Goal-kicker: Jarrad Waite.