De Konings reunited? Why the Blues must pounce on this big Cat

Carlton need Sam De Koning. If the Blues are to advance from pretenders to true premiership contenders, they must put all their resources towards luring the Geelong defender to Princes Park.

Carlton desperately need a second key defender to support All-Australian Jacob Weitering. De Koning fits the bill perfectly.

The Blues should pounce on Geelong’s Sam De Koning.Credit: Digitally altered image: Marija Ercegovac

Carlton’s interest in Port Adelaide half-back Dan Houston does not meet this critical need. But De Koning fills a far more important void in Carlton’s undersized defence.

A perplexing theme at Geelong has presented Carlton with the perfect timing to strike in next month’s AFL trade market.

Despite being fit, De Koning was overlooked for the Cats’ emphatic qualifying final win against Port Adelaide. Even more surprising was the lack of a last-minute recall when five-time All-Australian defender Tom Stewart withdrew on the morning of the game. Geelong opted for Irishman Oisin Mullin as Stewart’s replacement, leaving De Koning to play in the VFL.

De Koning seemed the logical choice, more so given his proven performances as a key defender. Yet senior coach Chris Scott and the selection committee ignored him.

It is impossible to criticise Scott’s methods. However, De Koning must be feeling on the outer.

With Geelong preparing for Saturday’s preliminary final against Brisbane at the MCG, De Koning has been overlooked again. This is despite him being the ideal opponent for Brisbane Lions match winner Joe Daniher. Scott can argue he has little reason to change the defensive unit that kept Port Adelaide to just 54 points two weeks ago.

This unheralded group of Zach Guthrie, Jake Kolodjashnij and Mark Blicavs, along with the returning Stewart, seems to have pushed De Koning out of the picture. For Carlton, this presents a rare opportunity to pounce.

At just 23, De Koning is still one of the league’s most exciting young defenders. He had a breakout season in 2022, playing a key role in Geelong’s premiership win. His performance that year was exceptional. He finished second – to Nick Daicos – in the AFL Rising Star award and was a near-miss for the All-Australian squad.

Carlton’s Tom De Koning marks in front of brother Sam.Credit: Getty Images

De Koning’s height (204 centimetres), athleticism, reach, intercept marking and reliability in shutting down the opposition’s best key forwards made him one of the game’s most valuable young players.

However, since that breakout season, De Koning’s career has hit some hurdles.

Injuries and form slumps have made that 2022 dominance hard to recapture. Part of the problem has been Geelong’s decision to use him as a makeshift ruckman to answer ongoing issues with Rhys Stanley and Toby Conway. Forcing him to ruck increases his chance of injury and wear and tear on his body. It has done him no favours.

A prime example was his round 15 battle against his brother, Carlton’s Tom De Koning. Despite his best efforts, he was beaten by his stronger sibling in ruck contests. It is hard not to imagine Sam asking himself why he has been played out of position instead of excelling in the role he was destined to dominate for years.

Carlton, on the other hand, are crying out for a player such as Sam De Koning. Weitering has carried the Blues’ defensive line for too long. Recruiting De Koning would ease the strain on Weitering – exactly the move that could transform Carlton’s unfulfilled premiership hopes.

There’s never been a better time to be a key defender in the AFL. Essendon recently paid a hefty price to lure Ben McKay from North Melbourne, paying $1 million a season, and Hawthorn have aggressively moved to recruit West Coast’s Tom Barrass and St Kilda’s Josh Battle.

Carlton need to show the same ruthless edge in improving their list. They cannot afford to sit back while other clubs get stronger.

De Koning’s contract with Geelong includes next season, giving the Cats the power to block a trade request. However, with only one year left on his deal, it is unlikely Geelong would force a player to stay against his will, particularly if he is not in the starting line-up.

The Cats, traditionally aggressive in the trade period, have been predators in recent years, poaching players such as Ollie Henry from Collingwood, Tanner Bruhn from GWS and Jack Bowes from Gold Coast. This off-season, they are expected to add Western Bulldogs midfielder Bailey Smith to their list.

For too long, Geelong have been the hunter. It is time for Carlton to turn the tables by aggressively pursuing a big Cat.

De Koning’s situation is bizarre. He is a proven premiership player with elite attributes, yet he’s been pushed to the periphery at Geelong.

Carlton must seize this moment, throwing everything into a deal that brings De Koning back to regular AFL action and Carlton back to the grand final stage.

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