Carlton’s top draftee Corey Durdin impressing in first AFL pre-season

KFC SuperCoach teams — take note. This Carlton draftee might be one of the cash cows of 2021 and is already turning heads in pre-season.

Injured Blue Charlie Curnow is playing a big pre-season role at Carlton. Picture: Getty Images

Carlton has revealed the role it has given Charlie Curnow to keep him engaged during his recovery as it hailed the instant impact of class recruits Adam Saad and Zac Williams on the list.

As the Blues trained through driving rain in scenes more at home in midwinter rather than pre-season training on Friday, Carlton assistant coach Cameron Bruce said the club was not yet putting a clear timeline on Curnow’s return as he continued his rehabilitation from his latest knee surgery.

Curnow underwent an operation to stabilise a stress injury in the star forward’s patella in November, but the Blues have been putting him to use running coaching drills to keep him engaged.

The Blues are in the thick o the pre-season grind. Picture: Tim Carrafa

“He’s a really positive individual and so bubbly around the group his presence is really important, so we are including him and he has got great leadership and coaching qualities that our players can improve off,” Bruce said.

“So we had him the other day sharing his knowledge at one-on-one marking and winning and halving aerials and he was coaching that session for us.

“We’ll keep drip-feeding him in that to keep him engaged and therefore being around the group and his personality coming out in the group and we’re a much more bubbly and vibrant group when he is around.

“He comes out and he gets involved in that sort of stuff and we’ll keep doing that throughout the year and throughout his rehab process and when he’s ready to come back in and train he will be all over what we’re doing and be ready to go.”

Zac Williams has hit the ground running at Carlton. Picture: Getty Images

Bruce said it was too early to put a time frame on a potential return date for Curnow or when he would be able to step up his training.

“We haven’t put a specific timeline on it with Charlie, we are just letting him recover, make sure he fully recovers from it,” Bruce said.

“And we get the strength in the knee to be able to deal with (the rigours of AFL), but it will be a second half of the year outlook I would have thought.”

While the Blues wait and watch on the luckless Curnow, Carlton has welcomed the addition of high-profile recruits Saad and Williams to the club.

New recruit Adam Saad has hit the ground running at Ikon Park. Picture: Tim Carrafa

Saad, in particular, looked sharp in Friday’s session, and Bruce expected both to make an instant impact this season.

“I feel like you keep adding class to your list and you are going to improve and these guys are classy players,” Bruce said.

“They are proven in big games, so we want to get to the biggest games and having as many players that have played in those games and done it consistently is important.”

Bruce said the duo’s speed and line-breaking ability would be a weapon for the Blues.

“(Saad) has unbelievable speed and his ability with the ball is outstanding but his defensive talent is great as well. His ability to find his way to get into a contest when he looks out of it is really impressive to us,” Bruce said.

“He has fitted in really well with the group. He came in prior to having to come back and it just shows his professionalism and willingness and want to make an impact straight away, so we are pumped to have him.

“And Zac offers exactly the same, he’ll spend more time through the midfield and defence, but his ability to find space and his speed and break the lines and get territory with his disposal and run is something that will really suit the way we want to play.”

Carlton forward Mitch McGovern has his eye on a more consistent role with the Blues after crossing from Adelaide at the end of 2018. Picture: Tim Carrafa

BLUE RENEWAL: CAMERON BRUCE ON …

MITCH MCGOVERN

“He has been training really well. We are getting some really good continuity with the Gov. Obviously it’s well publicised his interruptions throughout his first few years here, he hasn’t been able to get the consistency and the training loads we know allow you to be as good as you can be. Particularly coming from a new club, you want to be able to consolidate yourself in the group and playing weekly and full sessions and he has not been able to do that. We’re starting to see that now. So he is really determined to make an impact and have a really good year. He gives us great flexibility, but he has been training with the forwards and particularly with Charlie’s absence for a period, he is really important to our forward line mix and that connection that we have down there.”

PADDY DOW

“He has had a really strong start to his pre-season. He was spoken to at the end of the year about some of the areas where we feel he needs to improve and focus on to improve his game and he has come back and it is obvious that he has done that. His ability to get to the contest is improving and his ball-use and decision making, he is doing that as well. He has got an obvious intent and determination on forcing his way into the side and making us a better midfield group because his strengths are some things that so many players don’t have and that’s why it’s exciting to think that we’ve got that kind of player that will improve to a level that we feel like will add value to us.”

Bruce says the Blues are pleased with Paddy Dow’s pre-season work. Picture: Getty Images

THE CO-CAPTAINS

“They have obviously had their own different interruptions and we are very grateful and glad that they have both come through, and particularly Doc, through what he has been through. They are out getting involved in training and Crippa is nearly at full-pace, full involvement and Doc is increasing his level of involvement and they will be ready to go at the start of the year.”

RUCKS – TOM DE KONING and MARC PITTONET

“Those two guys have developed enormously under (Matthew Kreuzer’s) guidance. They are two different personalities but they compete in a manner that will allow them both to improve and help us and our midfield group become elite.”

JACK SILVAGNI

“He has had an interruption with his foot. It is only a minor load issue and he will be back. He obviously had an interrupted year last year and he gives us great depth and is another one like Paddy Dow that has areas that he needs to continue to work on to keep pushing and making our side better.”

CARLTON’S TOP DRAFTEE – COREY DURDIN

“I’m particularly excited about this little fella out here that’s walking around, Corey Durdin. Watching him at training, he is already making an impact. He’s only been here for a couple of weeks and his ability, his composure, his strength in the contest for an 18-year-old, you don’t want to put too many expectations on them, but I would be very surprised if he does not play senior footy this year. He is really forward specific and you need those players.”

RECRUIT LACHIE FOGARTY

“What we have got there is a guy that has come from a great club (Geelong) and great system and has performed in a great environment and he is ready to go. We’ve got a ready-made player who will come in and compliment whether it is midfield, forward for us and his ability in traffic, his strength in the contest we pride ourselves on that and we continue to get better at it and he’s adding to that.”

Originally published as Carlton’s top draftee Corey Durdin impressing in first AFL pre-season