AFL 2022: Blues struck gold in 2015 draft by taking Jacob Weitering at one, Harry McKay, Charlie Curnow

Their progression to stardom could hardly have been more different, but there’s an argument Sam Walsh might no longer be the most-important No. 1 pick at Carlton, writes Mark Robinson.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 17: Jacob Weitering of the Blues kicks the ball during the round one AFL match between the Richmond Tigers and the Carlton Blues at Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 17, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

When Jacob Weitering ran back into the abyss and marked the ball in the final moments on Sunday at the MCG, the football world applauded.

But Blues have been applauding that sort of effort and courage from Weitering from his first season back in 2016, when he made his debut as a hardworking, gangly key defender.

The No. 1 draft pick has blossomed as much his body has developed.

He was 94kg and 195cm in that first season. Now 24, he is 101kg and 196cm. He’s muscled up and nearing the top his game.

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Jacob Weitering marks over James Sicily during Carlton’s one-point win over Hawthorn at the MCG.

In close enough order, he is the emerging gun defender in the competition behind Tom Stewart, Nick Vlastuin, Dylan Grimes and Jeremy McGovern.

He’s been a slow burn, as are most key position players.

He didn’t finish in the top 10 in Carlton’s best and fairest in his first three years as the Blues finished 14th, 16th and 18th, but the kid from the peninsula had been thrust into a sink-or-swim scenario.

He quickly learned to swim. He finished sixth in 2019 before winning his first and only John Nicholls medal the following year. Last season he maintained the consistency, polling second behind wonderkid Sam Walsh.

Unquestionably, Weitering could easily be a two-time All Australian — in 2020 and 2021.

He posted these two outstanding individual seasons despite his cause in defence not being helped by the fact he was playing for the yoyo navy Blues.

Future All Australian jackets beckon.

Weitering clears the ball for the Blues late in the last quarter. Picture: Michael Klein

With Carlton on top of the ladder, Weitering will get far more widespread accolades, including this one from Nathan Buckley yesterday.

“Jacob Weitering is the equal of Sam Walsh in terms of effect for Carlton right now and as a No. 1 pick,’’ the former Collingwood coach told SEN.

“Working backwards you’ve got Horne-Francis, Ugle-Hagan, Rowell, Walsh in 2018, Rayner, McGrath, Weitering, McCartin, Boyd, all the way back to Whitfield.

“That is the last 10. I think Weitering is as effective as any one of those number one draft picks.

“You build a team around key position players, both in front of and behind the ball, and I think an intercept defender who can stop a key forward is worth his weight in gold.

“He’s unassuming, he’s been a slow build, he has been consistently good in poor sides and now he’s going to stand up for a good side.”

The Carlton leadership team of Sam Walsh, Patrick Cripps and Weitering.

Of Carlton’s five all-time No1 draft picks — Walsh, Weitering, Marc Murphy, Matthew Kreuzer and Bryce Gibbs — Weitering and Walsh could have a showdown about who finishes their career the best of them all.

Weitering is already Carlton’s best key defender since Stephen Silvagni.

He’s reliable in play, safe overhead, strong in the one-on-one contests and the mild observation that he was too much a one-on-one defender and not an interceptor or player who leaves his opponent to help a teammate, has been somewhat quashed.

In 2021, he ranked sixth for key defenders for intercept possessions, fourth for spoils and fourth for marks.

And his match-ups this year have been against Tom Lynch (two goals), Aaron Naughton (one goal) and Jack Gunston (two goals, one of which came from a ball over the back).

Overall, he’s played 118 games from a possible 130 and, as Carlton has developed the list from 2016, he’s been under siege in plenty of those games.

Weitering is finally getting the accolades he deserves. Picture: Michael Klein

Weitering heads the dream draft of 2015 for Carlton. Picture: Michael Klein

Weitering’s draft has proven to be ace for the Blues.

In what was a bold play, they took three talls with their first three picks — Weitering at No. 1, Harry McKay at No. 10 and Charlie Curnow at No. 12 — and then David Cunningham (No. 23) and the impressive Jack Silvagni at No. 53.

Talls are always high risk, but if you get them right they can transform your footy club and if you get them wrong, they are a slap-in-the-face bust.

Like, you have to wonder if the Gold Coast Suns had their time again, would they take both the Kings at No. 2 and No. 3 and not Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine.

The latter two lads will be fine footballers, but the King boys — Max and Ben (before he did his knee) — are shaping to be superstars.

Weitering might not be a superstar goalkicker, but he may well be a superstar stopper and as, Buckley says, they are worth their weight in gold.