Carlton have big expectations on young guns including Charlie Curnow and Jacob Weitering for 2019

Carlton wants to see “considerable improvement” in 2019 after claiming the wooden spoon last year, and coach Brendon Bolton is putting the onus on his emerging stars like Charlie Curnow and Jacob Weitering to lead the charge.

Carlton coach Brendon Bolton says expectations will rise on the Blues’ golden group of fourth-year players including Charlie Curnow and Jacob Weitering this season.

The Blues are targeting “considerable improvement” in 2019 and want more output from the 2015 draft crop which kickstarted the club’s list rebuild.

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Bolton revealed he has tried to become more accessible to his playing group this summer, inviting players over for weekly barbecues and sharing car trips home to help form stronger relationships.

After another wooden spoon, the Blues have vowed to remain patient with their emerging stars, but Bolton said the fourth-year players had to step up.

“We know with a young group you can have inconsistencies, and we are pushing really hard to make them more consistent,” Bolton said.

The Blue have big expectations on Charlie Curnow this season.

“However the fourth-year (guys), Jacob Weitering, Jack Silvagni, David Cuningham, Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow, I think around your fourth-year you have got a real appreciation of what it takes to be an AFL footballer.

“You’ve had the highs and lows and you’ve had enough games, so expectation does and should rise on that group.”

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No.12 draft pick Curnow finished equal-third in last year’s best-and-fairest and could become the game’s No.1 player, according to Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd.

However, Silvagni (15 senior games since 2018), Weitering (14), McKay (13) and Cuningham (five) are still establishing themselves at the top level.

Silvagni played in the VFL on Sunday, while the other four are all slated to ramp up their preparations for the regular season against Collingwood in their final JLT Series match in Morwell, on Monday.

Brendon Bolton had focused on building stronger relationships with his players. Picture: Michael Klein

Speaking to Fox Footy’s Brad Johnson in ‘Uncovered: The Coaches’ series, Bolton said a recent trip to Harvard prompted some “deep reflection” about his personal relationships with his troops, ahead of another big year.

“(They) say what would you like said at your eulogy, about you as a leader?” he said.

“It’s all those words like care and considerate, those words that have got meaning to your heart.

“Then they ask what was your day like? Where did you make impact on people on that level, as well as doing your job, talking about stoppages and zones those sort of things.

“So it really squares you up.”