Carlton has high hopes for Harry McKay in 2019 in new-look tall forward line
CARLTON plans to unleash a three-pronged forward line in 2019, with gun recruit Mitch McGovern joining star Charlie Curnow and the improving Harry McKay in the Blues’ attacking arsenal.
CARLTON believes it can dramatically increase its attacking firepower playing three tall targets as Harry McKay prepares for the first real pre-season of his career.
The Blues will start pre-season at Ikon Park on Monday with recruits Mitch McGovern and Will Setterfield in attendance.
Setterfield will integrate into full training after Christmas as he recovers from ACL surgery in March but new co-captain Sam Docherty is almost ready to return to full training.
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Former Adelaide forward McGovern is the club’s marquee signing, and will allow the club to play him alongside Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay or at times release Curnow further afield.
Blues fans were frustrated McKay, 20, was held back in the VFL last season but coach Brendon Bolton was adamant his lack of pre-season sessions meant he didn’t have the miles in his tank.
He finished a 21-goal year with real momentum, and new football boss Brad Lloyd says McKay is relishing the chance of a full summer in his third year at the club.
“McGovern will start on Monday. I spoke to him (on Thursday) and he’s ready to go. I think with some of the natural forwards in big Harry McKay, Charlie and now Mitch, it should make for a pretty exciting forward line,’’ Lloyd said.
“As a club we need to develop them individually but also get them to play together. It’s pretty exciting.
“Harry is right, he is ready to go. Watching him last year, he is a natural player and knows where to go and marks it at the highest point and that’s pretty hard to stop at his size. So he needs to keep working hard and continuing to grow with the coaches.”
The Blues haven’t kicked 100 points in a game for 55 matches and after a two-win season fans are growing impatient for rapid improvement in 2019.
Docherty returns alongside fellow half-back Tom Williamson (back), with Matthew Kreuzer also ready to get back into full training after surgery on a heart issue.
“He is back running and exercising with no issues. He will just increase his loads and intensity with the rest of the group,” Lloyd said.
The Blues have a relatively clean bill of health apart from Williamson, Setterfield and Docherty.
Jarrod Garlett is still doing some strength work after shoulder surgery while Zac Fisher is a fortnight from full training after breaking his leg in Round 18 against Hawthorn.
CARLTON FOOTY BOSS BRAD LLOYD ON:
Alex Fasolo:
“He had always had good endurance and can lead up but he’s also good at ground level.
“We want to get him as fit as possible so he can play that role forward with the offensive stuff but also putting on physical pressure.”
Will Setterfield:
“He had that injury in mid-March so he will be ready to join the main group after Christmas.
“We know he’s a super talent. We think he’s the modern midfielder. He is a natural mover, he has good size, he can mark overheadand run well. So he is the modern inside midfield player who can also get it on the outside.”
Sam Docherty:
“He is at the end of his footy conditioning so he will integrate back into the main group pretty quickly. The older players start back on November 19 so he’s pretty ready to go.
“He sat on the bench during games and had the headset on through to the coaches box so he learnt a lot from a coaching andleadership point of view and he has used his time off unbelievably well. It can only help him.”
Whether the Blues will trade pick 1 for multiple top-10 picks:
“In this day and age with the new rules you have to keep an open mind. It is one of those ‘never say never’ things. It would take a lot for us to trade it but there is no point closing the door. It doesn’t come down just to the pick you get back but who is available at those picks that you like. We are prepared for all scenarios on draft night, but I would suggest that pick one would be used by us on the night.”
Originally published as Carlton has high hopes for Harry McKay in 2019 in new-look tall forward line
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