CARLTON could be set to raid expansion club talent again in a bid to fast-track its climb out of the AFL cellar.
AFL.com.au understands the Blues are showing strong interest in luring out-of-favour Gold Coast defender Jack Scrimshaw to Ikon Park.
Scrimshaw, 19, was one of four top-10 picks from the 2016 draft who committed to the Suns in March last year until the end of the 2020 season.
It is believed the quartet, including Ben Ainsworth, Jack Bowes and Will Brodie, will be on about $400,000 in each of the final two years of their contract.
Ainsworth and Bowes are senior regulars, but Scrimshaw, who attended Haileybury College and played in the TAC Cup for Sandringham, has not added to his four AFL games from last year.
The left-footer has lined up seven times in the NEAFL, where he is averaging 19.6 possessions (eight contested), 5.3 intercept possessions, 2.3 clearances and 1.9 tackles.
The story is similar for Brodie, whose uncle Paul Brodie is Carlton's national recruiting manager.
The 19-year-old inside midfielder has played only twice at senior level in 2018, including being axed after the round 12 loss to Greater Western Sydney, after only three appearances last season.
Brodie is an emergency for Saturday's clash with Hawthorn in Launceston, and may instead take on Sydney University at Blacktown in the NEAFL on the same day.
Scrimshaw faces a fitness test after missing last week with concussion from a head knock a fortnight ago. He also sustained a fractured cheekbone earlier in the season.
They are both in the Connors Sports stable.
Brodie also has ties to North Melbourne, where his close friend and fellow Murray Bushrangers and Scotch College graduate Jy Simpkin plays.
He spent a fortnight training at Arden St in December 2015 as part of his AFL Academy stint.
Brodie, who grew up in north-east Victorian city Shepparton, is understood to be frustrated at his inability to win an extended stint in Gold Coast's struggling senior side.
The 189cm onballer is averaging 27.3 disposals, including 12.8 contested and 14.7 handballs, along with 5.2 clearances and 5.3 tackles in the NEAFL this year.
"Will's got some speed and can really work and he's starting to push that envelope a little bit more, so he's taken some strides forward," Suns head of development Shaun Hart told AFL.com.au in January.
"He's got the capacity to be a regular as an inside mid, but it's a fair fight to get in there in our team, because we've got a lot of good inside mids."
The Blues have 20 players who were listed at another AFL club, including ex-Giants Matthew Kennedy, Jed Lamb, Caleb Marchbank, Andrew Phillips, Jarrod Pickett and Lachie Plowman.
Former Suns pair Jarrod Garlett and Matt Shaw are also at Carlton.
Carlton's second-chance saloon
Ed Curnow (Adelaide), Sam Docherty (Brisbane), Jarrod Garlett (Gold Coast), Liam Jones (Western Bulldogs), Matthew Kennedy (GWS), Sam Kerridge (Adelaide), Jed Lamb (Sydney/GWS), Darcy Lang (Geelong), Matthew Lobbe (Port Adelaide), Caleb Marchbank (GWS), Aaron Mullet (North Melbourne), Cameron O'Shea (Port Adelaide), Andrew Phillips (GWS), Jarrod Pickett (GWS), Lachie Plowman (GWS), Sam Rowe (Sydney), Matt Shaw (Gold Coast), Alex Silvagni (Fremantle), Dale Thomas (Collingwood), Matthew Wright (Adelaide).
