Carlton coach David Teague says high draft picks must earn games with Paddy Dow, Lochie O’Brien stuck in reserves
One of Carlton’s prized draft picks has penned a four-year contract extension, but others have hardly been sighted this year. Jon Ralph assesses where the Blues’ next gen is at and whether they’ll make the grade.
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Carlton is intent on finishing the year strongly playing a side that will contend for finals, adamant its team is filled with elite 22-25 year old talent.
The Blues had the fourth-oldest side in the competition in the loss to premiership contender West Coast, with calls from fans to play more of the top-20 picks they have drafted in recent years.
But Carlton coach David Teague’s mantra is that the kids will earn their stripes — a fact highlighted by young talent Tom de Koning and Matthew Cottrell playing just their first games for 2020 against the Eagles on Sunday.
SCROLL DOWN FOR RALPHY’S RATINGS OF THE YOUNG BLUES
The Blues have re-signed defender Jacob Weitering, adding a four-year extension through to 2025 to a contract that already had a season remaining.
The Blues announced on Thursday that Weitering, in the frame for his first All-Australian jumper, had tacked four seasons on to his current deal.
The Blues are close to extensions with Levi Casboult and Marc Murphy but will have to make decisions on the futures of veterans Eddie Betts, Kade Simpson and Matthew Kreuzer.
Lachie Plowman and Caleb Marchbank, who returned in a scratch match on Sunday from a long-running knee issue, are other players who will secure contract extensions this season.
Clubs are aware the salary cap could shrink next year, with clauses inserted in some contracts to reflect the vagaries of the salary cap. But No.1 draft pick Weitering’s deal not only goes through the uncertainty of next year’s salary cap but the CBA negotiations for a new pay deal from 2023 onwards.
De Koning is likely to be forced out of the side with the return of Harry McKay (knee) against Fremantle on Saturday, with ruckman Matthew Pittonet (finger) expected to be right to play.
The Blues’ age figure is influenced by them having three of the 11 oldest players in the competition, including 36-year-old Kade Simpson, as well as Marc Murphy, 33, and Eddie Betts, 33.
But their players in the 22-25 age bracket include Sam Petrevski-Seton, McKay, Will Setterfield, Jacob Weitering, Matthew Kennedy, Charlie Curnow, David Cuningham, Marc Pittonet and Jack Silvagni.
As much as the Blues are keen to assess the talent of Paddy Dow, Lochie O’Brien, De Koning and other young draft picks they are determined to live coach David Teague’s recent statement: “What we’ve said to the players is they have to earn their spots.”
Dow has starred in a reserves scratch match, coming back from a knee injury, but needs to build up his work rate to an elite level and refine his kicking.
O’Brien has not set the world on fire this year in reserves trials and needs to work on his competitiveness, while de Koning is wildly exciting but has been averaging less than 10 touches in scrimmages.
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It means the Blues will give them games when they deserve it but believe they have a strong balance in a side regularly playing five 30-year-olds but also young talent.
Teague was adamant after the Blues pushed West Coast only to fade out late in the game that the balance was right.
“We will rotate when we need to. We are going to put our best team out there if our players say they are right and we believe they are right,” he said.
“We will just manage it week by week. David Cuningham (calf) might be back. Paddy Dow played really well in our game beforehand, Caleb Marchbank played his first game (since March with a knee injury), Sam Philp, Josh Honey, we have a lot of guys in our team who could comfortably play in our AFL side.”
It comes as the Herald Sun confirmed that coach Teague had instructed his players to play in the spirit of the game this year as rival players are criticised for “taunting” across the league.
Teague has made it clear to members of his side he wants them to play with respect and not to engage in ruffling the hair of rivals, attacking them physically or mocking them when they miss goals.
Those shows of bravado have become commonplace across the league, with calls for an anti-taunting code, but Teague is intent on his players focusing on the game rather than getting sucked into silly byplay with rivals.
CARLTON’S 10 YOUNG GUNS WAITING IN WINGS
Paddy Dow, 20
Has only played a single AFL game this year given niggling injuries but was best-afield in a reserves game on Sunday and will hope to return to the seniors. Carlton has been working on building him an elite tank while his kicking has also been an issue despite 39 games in two seasons.
Zac Fisher, 22
Carlton fans were perplexed one of the club’s brightest talents hadn’t been seen despite being declared fit in late June after rehabbing a syndesmosis injury. But the Blues say he’s only been match-fit for several weeks. Four classy goals after being remodelled as a small forward against West Coast.
Tom de Koning, 21
A 203cm athletic ruck-forward that has fans brimming with excitement, showing glimpses of his talent in his third AFL game playing against Nic Naitanui on Sunday. Needs more exposure but will make way for Harry McKay given the Blues will also play Levi Casboult, and Marc Pittonet against Fremantle.
Brodie Kemp, 19
The No. 17 draft pick from last November is rehabbing a serious knee injury that he brought to the club when drafted and has been running in the reserves scratch matches. Won’t play footy at any level this year.
Lochie O’Brien, 20
The No. 10 draft pick had shown glimpses in 35 games in his first two years as a wingman but hasn’t played this year. Needs increased physicality and to back in his silky left-footed kicking when he gets a game. Free agency acquisition Jack Newnes has gone past him right now with Sam Walsh on the other wing. Consistent but not dominant in scrimmage games.
Matt Cottrell, 20
Showed impressive speed in a nine-possession debut, gaining 244 metres and showing a willingness to take on the Eagles. Taken as a summer rookie in the same batch as Michael Gibbons. Should keep his spot after excellent and consistent scrimmage form.
Sam Philp, 19
The second-youngest player on the Carlton list is still very raw despite blistering pace that saw him win 14 possessions across two games in Rounds 4-5. A pick 20 from last November with huge upside but will take time to grow into his body.
Liam Stocker, 20
The Blues pushed so hard to secure Stocker by moving up the draft order in late 2018 and while he has good traits — a burst of speed, solid skills, a strong body — he has played only five games from Rounds 7-11 in 2019. Left the Blues hub to return to Melbourne several weeks back with personal issues.
Ben Silvagni, 20
A speculative pick with rich pedigree, the 196cm Silvagni has been used as a key defender in scrimmages and shows potential, including a strong recent scratch match against St Kilda. Will have to break into the side by displacing one of the bevy of talls.
Josh Honey, 18
Taken with pick three of the rookie draft last year as an athletic 184cm forward, the youngest player on the list has impressed in recent scrimmages and Teague says he isn’t far away from a debut. The high half forward from the Western Jets has breakaway speed.
Originally published as Carlton coach David Teague says high draft picks must earn games with Paddy Dow, Lochie O’Brien stuck in reserves