Gary Buckenara analyses Carlton’s needs and potential players to target during off-season

TRADE SPECIAL: CARLTON is now a destination club, writes list expert GARY BUCKENARA. But they need some more stars to top off their emerging guns. BUCKY’S FULL CARLTON ANALYSIS

Josh Kelly has not yet re-signed with GWS.

CARLTON is doing all the right things — the list is developing, they’re coached well and we’re now seeing the results on the field.

Coach Brendon Bolton has been able to get the mix right between playing experienced players and giving the youngsters a chance and it’s clear everyone is on the same page after upset wins over the likes of GWS and Collingwood.

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The job isn’t done yet though, and the next 2-3 years are critical for the development of the youngsters — such as Charlie Curnow, Sam Petrevski-Seton, Jack Silvagni and Jacob Weitering — that will either propel the Blues into a challenger again or see their improvement stagnate.

The season Bryce Gibbs is having illustrates exactly why the Blues drove such a hard bargain with the Crows during the trade period last year. He has been in outstanding form and elevated himself even further.

Will Bryce Gibbs request a move again? Picture: Wayne Ludbey

What happens at the end of this year though? Will he request a trade?

If he does — again — Carlton can only do the deal if the club believes it can get a better player with a draft pick (or picks) it receives in return or if the deal helps them secure a player they desperately want. Like a Josh Kelly from GWS.

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In the industry we talk a lot about desirable targets and destination clubs — the teams you’d want to go to and play for. Well, Carlton is exactly that right now.

Everyone can see where the Blues are headed. They’re doing all the right things, they’re progressing and their performances have become more consistent. They’re doing it week in, week out rather than one good performance then three bad ones.

Patrick Cripps is a midfield bull but he needs another in-and-under type helping him. Picture: Michael Klein

So for someone like a Josh Kelly who is only 22, he would look at Carlton see the club as one he’d want to go to, to join in with this young group — many of which he already knows from GWS — and see them rise up and play finals with hopefully top-four finishes down the track.

The Blues would also be an attractive club for a lot of the free agents, too because of that clear direction and obvious on-field improvement we’ve seen this year, particularly in the victory over the Giants.

In terms of what they need — a gun midfielder is at the top of the list. Marc Murphy, Patrick Cripps and Gibbs can’t do it all, they need help and depth in the midfield is critical in all list builds.

Levi Casboult needs more support up forward. Picture: Michael Klein

There are also a lot of young and developing players on the list, including in the key position stocks, so experience is what Carlton is after as well as more young talent.

A big-bodied key defender would be ideal to help Lachie Plowman, Marchbank and Weitering even though those guys have been doing a really good job. Is Liam Jones the answer? I’m not convinced. He will need to perform over several weeks rather than just a couple. And Sam Rowe has had a knee reconstruction so will be out long-term.

Another experienced key forward to help Levi Casboult would also be beneficial as Harry McKay continues to develop.

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WHO THE BLUES SHOULD TARGET

GWS young gun Josh Kelly would be an ideal fit. He’s a gun already and he’s in the same age group as a lot of Carlton’s players. He fits the list profile perfectly and would definitely take the pressure off Murphy and Cripps and Gibbs too, if he stays.

Kelly would add that outside class and polish the Blues are looking for.

The Blues have been linked so how would they get him? Do they just go all out and blow everyone out of the park? It wouldn’t surprise me if they did but there are dangers with that approach. You do need to be responsible with your salary cap and to the rest of your playing list because when you do things like that you can set a bit of a precedent where players think ‘well if he’s worth that, then I’m worth this.’

Josh Kelly would be an ideal fit at the Blues.

Managers use bargaining tools like that, including best and fairest finishes, all the time to get their player a better contract.

Lion Tom Rockliff would definitely be a player of interest. He’s a free agent and suits Carlton’s needs as a bigger-bodied midfielder who wins his own ball and can also hurt on the scoreboard.

Brownlow Medallist Nat Fyfe would also be an ideal fit. He would help Cripps enormously but it sounds like he is ready to talk to Fremantle about a new deal.

Lachie Whitfield and Devon Smith are two other GWS players who I’m sure will be spoken to by Carlton to see if they’re interested in moving. Smith is out-of-contract, while Whitfield is signed up at the Giants but never say never. There is the Stephen Silvagni-GWS connection after all.

Tom Rockliff is a free agent and is exactly the type of player Carlton need. Picture: Getty

Smith in particular is an in and under player with a strong body who would slot well into that midfield mix and give Bolton another option. He’d also take the heat off Cripps and Ed Curnow who currently do a lot of the bullocking work.

GWS academy player Jacob Hopper would also be another one in that mix. He is a bull and had a strong body already.

For that experienced key defender role Steven May would be an ideal target but will cost plenty in terms of draft picks and/or players.

Port Adelaide’s Jackson Trengove is a free agent and would be a good fit given he can also play forward and in the ruck, which just adds to the appeal. He could play alongside those developing defenders or go forward and play second ruck so Levi Casboult can be a permanent forward. He has great leadership qualities, too.

UNTOUCHABLES

Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs, Kade Simpson, Sam Docherty, Sam Petrevski-Seton, Matthew Kreuzer, Patrick Cripps, Harry McKay, Jacob Weitering, Caleb Marchbank, Charlie Curnow, Levi Casboult, Jack Silvagni.

Please note: AFL clubs have a list of a number of players they are targeting at the end of the season and this is the list Gary Buckenara would have in the hope of luring at least one to the club.

Gary Buckenara was Hawthorn’s sole full-time recruiting staff member from 2004 before the Hawks brought in Chris Pelchen and then Graham Wright as recruiting and list manager and expanded the recruiting department.

Originally published as Gary Buckenara analyses Carlton’s needs and potential players to target during off-season