AFL 2021: How Carlton has mistreated its prized youngsters

While other clubs drop senior players regularly, Carlton’s young talent has copped the brunt of the selection axe, headlined by a first-round trio.

The ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ at Carlton make for dull and repetitive reading.

Perhaps the Blues’ match committee listens to Katy Perry’s hit Hot n Cold when they pick their teams.

They have dropped seven players since Round 13 last season.

In order, those 2020 omissions were Josh Honey (after making his AFL debut), Matthew Cottrell (after playing two consecutive games), Matthew Owies (after making his AFL debut) and Lochie O’Brien (after playing his only game for the season).

The players punted this year are O’Brien (again after playing one game), Tom Williamson (after playing two games), Will Setterfield (after playing one game) and Paddy Dow.

The message from loyal coach David Teague appears to be clear: If you are over 22 and in the 22 then you are not the problem.

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Veterans like Marc Murphy and Ed Curnow appear to be immune from the axe. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

It seems the likes of Marc Murphy, Eddie Betts, Ed Curnow, Jack Newnes, Mitch McGovern and Lachie Plowman are all immune.

At other clubs it is not just the kids who must play by the standards set.

Mitch Wallis and Jason Johannisen (Western Bulldogs), Daniel Rioli and Nathan Broad (Richmond), Jared Polec (North Melbourne), Mason Cox (Collingwood) and Greater Western Sydney captain Stephen Coniglio have all fallen out of their teams in that period.

In Round 5 the Blues rolled out the sixth-oldest and fifth-most experienced line-up – a similar age profile to contenders Richmond, West Coast, Geelong and Brisbane Lions.

Delve deeper at Carlton and it is hard not to sympathise with some of these kids, where the only constant is change.

It has been a rollercoaster start to the season for Will Setterfield, who was in the frame to be taken with the No. 1 pick by Essendon in 2016.

Take a look at Setterfield.

In Round 2 the Blues played the inside midfielder out of position, spending 84 per cent on a wing.

Setterfield struggled, missed Round 3 with illness, was brought back for Round 4 and then dropped for Round 5. Good luck finding form.

Take a look at Dow, who was undoubtedly struggling and deservedly dropped after Round 4.

But instead of letting him find form in the VFL, Dow sat on the MCG bench as the unused medical substitute against Port Adelaide.

Take a look at O’Brien, who played 17 games in 2019 on the wing as the No. 10 draft pick’s confidence grew exponentially.

Then, the Blues brought in delisted free agent Jack Newnes, 28. O’Brien has played just two games since.

Take a look at Williamson.

Tom Williamson.

Paddy Dow.

In 2017 the late draft pick played 15 games as a shining light in defence.

Williamson missed all of 2018 with a back injury, was brought back after just two VFL games in 2019, broke down again and has not looked the same since.

In 2017 he was cool under pressure. Now Williamson has a case of the fumbles.

This season is make or break for a lot of these kids – Cottrell, Honey, O’Brien, Owies, Parks, Setterfield and Matthew Kennedy are all out of contact.

Do Carlton fans have a read on whether they are any good?

Would they rather get a glimpse of one-game unknowns Honey or Owies up forward or watch the slow demise of Murphy and Betts?

Sam Philp us another question mark. The top-20 draft pick was put in for two games last year. He hasn’t been seen since. Flexible midfielder Sam Ramsay is in good form and still hasn’t been seen.

Ironically, the exception to the in-and-out rule – Sam Petrevski-Seton – probably would’ve benefited from being dropped, rather than handed games.

Different cat David Cuningham is out of favour because his pressure numbers are low. But Murphy is rated below-average for forward-half pressure points and tackles by Champion Data while Betts is rated average.

This week Liam Stocker and perhaps Cuningham are in line to play.

The Blues aren’t sure Stocker runs hard enough defensively. But after 38 VFL disposals last week he will be hard to ignore.

Will he come in for one week? Two weeks? And who will he replace? History says it won’t be a big name.

Originally published as AFL 2021: How Carlton has mistreated its prized youngsters