Carlton’s AFLW and AFL programs train ahead of women’s semi-final weekend
Carlton opened its doors as the Blues’ humming AFLW team prepared for its semi-final and the AFL recruits hit the track with their new teammates. See the pictures here.
It’s the well-paced finals campaign that the Blues could scarcely have dreamt of 12 months ago.
Carlton enters Saturday’s semi-final against Hawthorn with all 30 of its players fully fit – one of the reasons the Blues are fancied to beat their top-four opponents who are in the midst of an injury crisis.
The Blues named an unchanged side to face the Hawks, with the health of their squad a far cry from their final game last year as star on-ballers Abbie McKay and Mimi Hill were withdrawn with soft-tissue injuries in the hour before a listless defeat to Essendon.
“Our high performance manager, Steve Moore, has done an outstanding job,” coach Mathew Buck said on Friday.
Credit to our players, who have grabbed onto that and leant right in, which ends in 30 players being available for this week.”
Much has been made of the high-octane dance ritual the Blues have introduced to their pre-game routine this season, and Buck, who stressed he was “not a dancer”, said he had come to embrace the energy of his players.
He enlisted dance instructors to come into the club on Thursday to run a line dancing lesson for staff and players.
“I’d like to say I immediately supported (the pre-game dance), but I’m not sure that’s true,” he said.
“But I can’t stand up the front and talk about being connected, and loving what you day every day … then stomping on it when they want to have some fun.
“I think when you look at the great teams around the world, you’ll see strong traditions and rituals that they do each game, and for us, that’s what makes it fun.”
Blues women’s football boss Ash Naulty said he had secured a commitment from president Rob Priestley to show off his moves with the players if they won past Hawthorn and Brisbane into the grand final.
“(Priestley) agreed to it, that if we’re in the grand final, then he’ll do the dance as well with the board.
“Wrighty (Graham Wright) was pretty adamant that he might not be involved in that one … we’ll see how he goes.”
A pre-game boogie is unlikely to be on Michael Voss’ agenda in 2026, but the Blues might take heed of the women’s program and search for a way to bring a spark back to the men’s side ahead of a campaign which will kick off with a procession of Thursday and Friday night games.
Carlton’s first to fourth-year players along with an assortment of senior Blues hit the track after the women’s side, with Swans recruits Will Hayward and Ollie Florent among them.
Florent’s speed stood out as the Blues went through a series of drills titled “shape to connect” (per the Ikon Park scoreboard) and then moved on to “attack formation”.
Fellow recruits Campbell Chesser and Liam Reidy trained, while senior Blues Jacob Weitering and Adam Cerra joined their younger teammates.
Prized No. 3 draft pick Jagga Smith moved smoothly, wearing a “no-contact cap” in contested drills along with Ollie Hollands, who is recovering from post-season shoulder surgery.
VFL best and fairest Ethan Phillips was among the reserves players on the track along with wingman Taj Logan and ruck Flynn Riley.
Delisted pair Elijah Hollands and Will White are set to train later in the pre-season in search of a second chance via the supplementary selection period, but cannot resuming training at the club until after next week’s draft.
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Originally published as Carlton’s AFLW and AFL programs train ahead of women’s semi-final weekend
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