Carlton selects Paddy Dow with pick No.3 and has been compared to Patrick Dangerfield

CAMERON Ling believes Paddy Dow could join Patrick Cripps and Charlie Curnow interchanging between the midfield and full-forward in a major boost to Carlton’s rebuild.

Carlton coach Brendon Bolton presents Paddy Dow with a Blues jumper.

CAMERON Ling says Paddy Dow could join Patrick Cripps and Charlie Curnow as young stars interchanging between the midfield and full-forward in a major boost to Carlton’s promising rebuild.

The Blues snared Dow with the No.3 selection and Ling – who developed the 184cm midfielder at Geelong Grammar this year – said he was “going to be a beauty”.

Dow grew up on a 150-acre fruit farm near Swan Hill and would’ve been taken at No.1 by some clubs including Port Adelaide.

“I’m not surprised he (went) that high,” Ling told the Herald Sun.

“And I’ll tell you what else they’re getting – an absolute ripping kid. One who’s never going to leave anything in the tank. He will make the most of his AFL career.

“He’s got leadership qualities and is a damn good footballer who plays footy the right way.

“He gets in to win the hard ball and can buy himself space in congestion.”

Paddy Dow at his parents farm near Swan Hill. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Dow’s burst from stoppages has long been compared to Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield.

But Ling said Dangerfield’s explosion was on another level and Dow instead used his footy IQ to find gaps.

“(Dow’s) got an ability to have movement at stoppage and congestion and is clever enough to see a hole and exploit it,” Ling said.

“It makes it look as though he’s exploding away.

He doesn’t have the absolute pure, brute speed of Danger, but he’s got the smarts and awareness to turn a contested and congested ball win into a break into space.”

Ling said Dow kicked four goals from about 30 disposals against St Kevin’s at the start of the season to foreshadow his climb towards the top of the draft.

The Swan Hill teenager then embraced a shift to full-forward against Wesley College and booted seven goals.

Dow racked up 35 disposals, six clearances and kicked two goals in his final TAC Cup match and then underwent a shoulder reconstruction.

Paddy Down in action for Vic Country.

Paddy Dow in action for Vic Country.

He won 60 per cent of his Vic Country disposals contested.

Ling said when Dow joins Cripps as a threat at AFL level it would allow captain Marc Murphy to end his career by “getting off the chain a lot more”.

“Paddy would work extremely well (with Cripps) and then there’s (Sam) Petrevski-Seton, who could get more time exploding alongside those two contested-type bull players,” Ling said.

“I think he’ll be a great get for the Blues. Curnow in time is going to push into the midfield and in four or five years it could be Cripps or Dow or Curnow – anyone of them – playing midfield, playing out-out inside 50m or as a floating half-forward.

“They’ll have that flexibility.”

Bendigo Pioneers talent manager Stephen Sharp said Dow was ready to play AFL next season and said his style was similar to premiership captain Trent Cotchin.