Carlton’s list rebuild is seemingly complete after hoarding the most top-20 draft picks in the AFL
Carlton has now amassed more top-10 picks than Greater Western Sydney as its exhaustive list rebuild nears completion. Find out where your club sits on the list of talent toppers.
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Carlton’s exhaustive list rebuild is finally complete, with the Blues amassing more top-10 picks than the AFL’s million dollar baby Greater Western Sydney.
The Blues now have an AFL-high 19 top-20 picks on their list, with nearly half of their players taken in the first round or top 20 selections of an AFL draft.
The Blues added another pair of top-20 picks last week in No.1 overall selection Sam Walsh and hard inside midfielder Liam Stocker (pick No.19) after a contentious trade with Adelaide.
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Many of the club’s previous drafts were a total wipeout before list boss Steve Silvagni committed to going to three full drafts between 2015-2017.
This year the Blues were able to bring in experienced forward Mitch McGovern and GWS midfielder Will Setterfield as well as take those two top-20 picks by using next year’s first-rounder as trade bait.
It means Carlton has 12 top-10 picks on its list and seven players taken between 11-20 for a total of 19 top-20 picks.
Greater Western Sydney has only 11 top-10 picks and eight players taken at 11-20 as rival clubs aggressively target their best kids amid a salary cap crisis.
Collingwood ranks equal third for top-20 picks along with North Melbourne, boasting nine top-10 picks and six players taken between 11-20.
NGA recruit Isaac Quaynor drifted to pick No.13 in Thursday’s draft but young stars like Jaidyn Stephenson (pick No.6) and Jordan de Goey (No.5) are quickly emerging as AFL stars.
There are many ways to build an AFL list, with Geelong having just six players taken in the top 10 on their list and Adelaide’s list containing only one top-10 selection.
But finally the Blues would seem to have the talent to make a step jump up the ladder despite a two-win season under coach Brendon Bolton.
Paddy Dow (pick No.3), Lochie O’Brien (10), Harry McKay (10), Sam Petrevski-Seton (6), Jacob Weitering (1), Caleb Marchbank (6), Lachie Plowman (3) and Setterfield (5) show the elite Carlton talent on its list.
They are joined by veterans including Marc Murphy (1), Matthew Kreuzer (1) and Dale Thomas (2).
Jarrod Pickett was taken at pick No.4 in his draft by GWS and currently doing extra sessions to get back into shape, is yet to justify that lofty draft position.
Charlie Curnow (pick No.12) could one day be the best forward in the game, while the Blues believe Matthew Kennedy (13) can break out next year after shoulder and ankle issues in 2018.
Silvagni made it clear last year the Blues had been determined to go to three full drafts before entering 2018 bedding down those 42 changes in three years.
“We said we would go to three drafts, we have gone to three drafts now and we need to build some stability and keep these boys and get them playing together.”
But the Blues failed to gel this year, in part because of key injuries to stars like Sam Docherty but also because of growing pains to those young kids like Kennedy and Weitering.
Gold Coast’s challenges are evident from the list of top-20 picks, ranking only mid-table with seven top-10 picks and five picks between 11-20.
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