CARLTON has confirmed top draft pick Paddy Dow will make his debut against Richmond at the MCG in Thursday night's blockbuster season opener.
Teammates Matt Kennedy, Aaron Mullett and Jarrod Garlett will also play their first games in navy blue, as revealed by coach Brendon Bolton at his press conference on Wednesday.
>> The full teams for the Tigers v Blues game will be on the AFL LIVE App and AFL.com.au from 6.25pm AEDT
Blues great Greg Williams will present the No.2 jumper to the exciting youngster, who signed a three-year contract extension until the end of 2022 last week.
Dow, pick No.3 in last year's NAB AFL Draft, was a standout performer across the JLT Community Series with his pace out of stoppages and finishing ability key features.
Carlton legend Craig Bradley will present the No.21 guernsey to former Sun Garlett, Wayne 'The Dominator' Johnson will hand over the No.7 jumper to ex-Giant Kennedy and David Glascott is set to give the No.18 to former Roo Mullett.
"It's a big day for our footy club and particularly those four. We think they'll all add some excitement to our group," Bolton said.
Tall forward Harry McKay has missed out on selection, while Matthew Kreuzer (ankle) has been given the all clear to face the Tigers.
Dow has been dubbed 'Paddy Wow' by his teammates, which Bolton said he found amusing, while Garlett will get a second opportunity on the AFL stage after 17 games at Gold Coast between 2015-2016.
Garlett left Gold Coast at the end of 2016 to move back to his home state of Western Australia to be closer to his sick brother Desmond Lawson. The speedy forward played in the WAFL competition in 2017 before the Blues handed him a lifeline with pick No.78 in last year's draft.
Bolton said Garlett, who injured his shoulder in the club's first JLT Community Series match against St Kilda, but has since been cleared of serious damage, was ready to grasp his opportunity.
"He's really focussed over this year. He knows it's a second opportunity. In fact he's just had a little boy this week – Jarrod jnr. So he's got real meaning and a reason to apply himself," Bolton said.
Injured Blues defender Sam Docherty, who will miss the 2018 season with a ruptured ACL, has been given permission by the AFL to sit on Carlton's bench for the season and experience a different side of the game.
Bolton said Docherty "was an extension of the coaching staff" and the experience would accelerate his ambitions of becoming a coach once his playing career is done.
"Full credit to the AFL and Steve Hocking; they've given him the green light to be down on the interchange," Bolton said.
"In time, Sam's adamant he wants to coach – I know that's a long way away yet. But when people are on long term (injury layoffs) you can get disconnected really quickly and the AFL have recognised that and (let him) be on the bench and be an extension of us (coaching staff).
"That allows Sam to do what his passion is in the longer term, which is to coach."
