Gary Buckenara analyses Carlton’s list after 2016 season

CARLTON had a much-improved season under new coach Brendon Bolton. But list expert GARY BUCKENARA says there’s one man who could make the Blues even better in 2017.

Brendon Bolton has done a great job in his first year. Picture: Sam Rosewarne

CARLTON had a much improved season. The game style was good, you could see the difference in what they were trying to do in terms of how they play the game and take on their opposition.

Stephen Silvagni has done a great job with the list so far and who he’s been able to bring into the club.

Big question: Would Brent Harvey be a valuable addition to Carlton in a small forward role and as a mentor to the young and developing players?

LIST ANALYSIS: BUCKY ON THE TIGERS

LIST CHANGES: BLUES, POWER BEGIN CULL

If I was at the Blues I would absolutely bring Boomer into the club for a year or two, he’s a perfect fit for them despite not being in a premiership window. He would be such a great example to these young kids that are on the list, they need that type of player with pace, who can kick a goal and read the play off the pack and who can also go into the middle and provide some run as well.

Gary Buckenara says Brent Harvey is a ‘perfect fit’ for the Blues. Picture: Michael Klein

Boomer would be a fantastic addition — he’s not only respected by everyone in football and has that aura about him but he’s what they need. His presence around the group will lift everything — he will be a great example with worth ethic and what he brings to the table.

The Blues has a great trade period last year by targeting players from GWS and bringing them to the club. Jed Lamb, Lachie Plowman, Andrew Phillips and Liam Sumner all had a positive impact for the Blues this year.

They also picked up Sam Kerridge who impressed in the midfield and Matthew Wright finished the season as the club’s leading goalkicker — they’ve turned into good players for the Blues.

But while there was a massive clean-out at Carlton last year, there’s still more to come. There should be a significant turnover again this year so they can take a raft of picks to the national draft and invest there, that’s the right way forward for Brendon Bolton’s team.

When I look at the list as a whole I only see one A-grade player and that’s Marc Murphy. I think Gibbs is a B-grader, as is Kade Simpson and Matthew Kreuzer as well because his body has held him back.

Patrick Cripps ... almost an A-grader. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Patrick Cripps will be an A-grade player but he’s not there yet, he’s a B-grader at the moment and Sam Docherty has pushed himself into the B-grade category after a brilliant season.

Outside of those guys the rest are developing players. The secret to Carlton is they’ve got a potential star in Jacob Weitering, Jack Silvagni has shown good signs and will only get better but so much will depend on the development of the players they brought in at the draft last year.

I’m thinking of guys like Harry McKay who’s a young key forward and Charlie Curnow and the continued improvement of players like Dylan Buckley who really showed something this year with his pace and ability to take the game on. Dillon Viojo-Rainbow is a rebound defender with a beautiful kick, Kristian Jaksch as a key position player and Daniel Gorringe.

I also like a guy they have on their rookie list by the name of Jesse Glass-McCasker — he could be a really good player for them down the track.

The development of these players will tell the tale of how Carlton’s list moves forward in the future because they really need these guys to come on and be the next crop — they do still have a lot of players there who are in the C-grade category that they’ve picked up from other clubs.

WHAT THEY NEED

Wouldn’t the Blues love Eddie Betts running around? Absolutely. He’s what they need, they’re crying out for a clever small forward. They also need outside pace, Carlton lack players with speed and endurance, particularly with good kicks. Dennis Armfield and young David Cuningham have outside pace and endurance but they’re both poor kicks. It defeats the purpose. You need players who can get it, run and break the lines and then use it well.

Dale Thomas hasn’t yet delivered on his high price tag while Dennis Armfield’s kicking lets him down. Picture: George Salpigtidis

WHO’S UNDER THE PUMP?

There are too many guys on Carlton’s list still who aren’t good kicks, so they’re the ones who are under the pump. Mark Whiley is one who is a hard worker but a poor kick, the club drafted Blaine Boekhorst with an early pick and he’s a good runner but again, a poor kick.

Dale Thomas showed some glimpses this year of getting back to the player we know he can be, and he’s certainly young enough to do it, but the Blues need more from him. I know his ankles aren’t great but he came across with a high price tag and hasn’t delivered on what the club was expecting.

WHO SHOULD GO?

Andrew Walker, Michael Jamison and Cameron Wood have retired, while they’ve already delisted Matthew Dick and Jayden Foster but I think there’s more to come.

Liam Jones has played the role they brought him to the club for but has been in and out of the side so he’s probably done — Bolton needs to give McKay or Gorringe those opportunities now. Jason Tutt is another one, was barely sighted at senior level this year and Boekhorst — it’s not his fault but when I look at the player Essendon got at the pick after him, Jayden Laverde, Carlton could have taken Boekhorst later in the draft.

The Blues selected Blaine Boekhorst with pick 19. Picture: Colleen Petch

CRYSTAL BALL

Carlton probably won’t make the eight next year but they could be an 8-12 or 9-12 side. They’re on the up. The Blues won’t be bottom four, they’re better than that. At the end of last year we thought there were some horror years coming but credit where credit’s due, the recruiting has been very good so far.

But they still need to be patient. They need to keep investing in the draft and continue to blood the young players because they’re on the right track and there’s definitely a bit of hope for the future. Exciting times are ahead for the club and the supporters though, who’ll get to have a look at these top draft picks, particularly McKay, Curnow and Cuningham if he can clean up his disposal.

* Gary Buckenara helped build Hawthorn’s three-peat premiership list and now he runs a rule over club lists in an exclusive column for the Herald Sun.

Buckenara was a major part of Hawthorn’s recruiting team between 2004-2015 and was responsible for bringing Lance Franklin, Jarryd Roughead and Jordan Lewis to the Hawks in 2004 when he was the Hawks’ sole fulltime recruiter.