Carlton coach declares twin towers Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay make Blues better

Two Carlton players who helped get them into a preliminary final will be axed for the Brisbane clash as two stars return.

Someone has to make way for Jack Martin. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Carlton forwards coach Ash Hansen has shot down any suggestions the Blues’ attack functions better without Harry McKay as two forwards face selection heartbreak ahead of the preliminary final.

McKay is a certain inclusion after concussion forced him out of Friday’s semi-final triumph, while Jack Martin’s return from suspension will also force a change to the side that managed to scrape together a winning score despite Charlie Curnow being convincingly beaten by Melbourne defender Steven May in last week’s semi-final.

Jack Silvagni, who on Tuesday signed a new two-year deal to remain at the Blues until the end of 2025, is available for selection but unlikely to force his way in.

Hansen said the Blues coaches would lose some sleep over the decision on who to drop, with Matt Kennedy and one of David Cuningham or Jesse Motlop looming as the unlucky forwards to make way from the starting 22.

Jack Martin will return for the Blues against Brisbane. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

He said Cuningham, who fought back after several injury-riddled seasons to establish himself at half-forward at the start of the Blues’ surge in July, had a strong case to hold onto his spot despite being subbed out for the final quarter of the semi-final with nine disposals to his name.

“I think it’s too easy to say (Cuningham will be dropped) – if you look over the course of the year, guys who have been subbed out haven’t missed the following week,” Hansen said.

“That was a tactical call we had to make on the game, but we take in a body of work into (account for) selection, not just three quarters of football or a tactical decision we make on game day.”

Hansen also praised Kennedy’s resilient performance against Demons interceptor Jake Lever, who started strongly but was gradually worked over by the 188cm Blue.

“Certainly, Lever started well early but then I thought Matty Kennedy worked into the game,” he said.

“We wanted to make sure we picked a healthy team, and Matty’s ability to play the game out until the 120th minute was shown when he kicked that soccer point in the final seconds because he had the ability to cover the ground.

Hansen joked he was “flabbergasted, bemused and shocked” by external commentary that the Blues’ forward line worked better without McKay.

“I understand it creates great debate … but this is a really easy question – we’re a better team with him in it,” he said.

“Sometimes it’s intangible what players can do for your group … I think guys walk taller when Harry’s out there, it reduces Charlie’s workload which allows him to be more energetic and dynamic in other contests because he’s not having to get to everything.

Ash Hansen says Carlton is a better team with Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow both in it. Picture: Michael Klein

“Harry is super important for us – I think in the last game he played he was the leading score involvement player on the ground before he went off.”

He said it had been difficult to tweak McKay’s wayward goalkicking routine during the season, but the pair had already put plans in place to fix his scoring woes in the off-season.

“Just having more time to make those adjustments, which is really hard in-season to be able to do – we’ll do an assessment of where those shots are, be really deliberate with the practice and get to work on it,” he said.

“There’s a level of urgency that he wants to get it right, and he’ll put the time into it.

“Sometimes the humility piece is understanding where you’re at, but certainly we don’t want him thinking there’s a microscope on him because that just inflames the problem even more.

“He’ll have his moment, and I’m confident as his coach that he’ll take it.”