PROVIDED there’s no late injury scares or lingering niggles, Carlton skipper Chris Judd will make his first competitive appearance in a navy blue guernsey against the Western Bulldogs next Friday.
That’s the message from Blues assistant coach Gavin Crosisca, who says the superstar is expected to play two quarters of the NAB Challenge match.
“As far as I know with the medical department, he’s endeavouring to play a half next week and then, depending on what happens during the week off, he might have an extra run that week and hopefully he’ll be right for round one,” Crosisca told the media prior to a training session at MC Labour Park this afternoon.
“We’re all looking forward [to his debut] and I think he’s pretty keen to get out there as well.
“He’s a great player and he’s one guy we need out there to help our guys and to develop our young kids.”
Crosisca said he’d come across plenty of rumour and innuendo about how the club was planning to handle Australia’s most talked-about groin injury, but very little of it was accurate.
“It’s amazing all the things you hear, like about him getting injections and things which aren’t really true and which bring out the rumour-mongers. He’s been doing everything possible [to play],” Crosisca said.
“He’s on track in the eyes of the medical and fitness staff ... and I think he’s been doing two full sessions a week now, so that’s a huge improvement.”
The Blues could have used some of Judd’s class last weekend when they lost to a Hawthorn outfit which Crosisca described as being “three-to-four years ahead” of where Carlton’s list currently stands.
One of Saturday night’s biggest talking points involved this summer’s other big arrival at Cartlon - Matthew Kruezer - who was the subject of a hit from Campbell Brown, which earned the Hawthorn defender a two-week suspension.
A tough defender during his days with Collingwood, Crosisca said it was pleasing to see Kruezer’s teammates stand up for him.
“Flying the flag is something I think most teams do and if there’s one thing you can’t knock the Carlton Football Club about, it’s heart, and it’s also commitment to each other.
“They’ve definitely shown that over the past couple of years and they will continue to show it.
“He’s a good bloke Browny, but sometimes he goes a bit too hard at the wrong times.”
Carlton are set to make wholesale changes to the team which fronted up last weekend for their next match, which takes place in Alice Springs on Friday night.
Crosisca said the changes would give a host of junior players the chance to shine.
“I think it’s just a general rotation thing. Obviously we didn’t want to take our more experienced players up to Alice Springs where it’s very hot, and with the travel – we’ve been to South Africa and Adelaide – we just wanted to give those guys a bit of a rest,” Crosisca said.
“It gives us an opportunity to blood some of our young fellas and give them a test of AFL footy in senior conditions.
“By next week (against the Bulldogs), we’ll probably have close to our full-strength team in a real dress-rehearsal for round one.”
