Played: 22
Won: 10
Lost: 12
Finished: 11th
Best and fairest: Chris Judd
2009 IN BRIEF
Coach: Brett Ratten
Captain: Chris Judd
Coaching staff: Mark Riley, Matthew Lappin, Brett Montgomery (assistants), Darren Harris (development director), Robert Harvey, David Teague (development)
ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES
Arrivals
Exchange period – received: Robert Warnock (Fremantle)
Rookie elevation: Michael Jamison
NAB AFL Draft: Rhys O'Keefe (North Adelaide), Mitch Robinson (Tassie Mariners), Caleb Tiller (Murray Bushrangers), Chris Yarran (Swan Districts)
NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft: Chris Johnson (Melbourne)
NAB AFL Rookie Draft: Greg Bentley (Port Adelaide), Jeff Garlett (Swan Districts), Lachie Hill (Carlton), Sam Jacobs (Carlton), Darren Pfeiffer (Carlton), Luke Stanton (Northern Knights)
Departures
Retired: Jason Saddington
Delisted: Cain Ackland, Clint Benjamin, Luke Blackwell, Ryan Jackson, Aisake O'hAilpin, Darren Pfeiffer, Lachie Hill (rookie), Sam Jacobs (rookie), Michael Shields (rookie)
FIXTURE
Carlton will have to travel interstate six times this year, but will play eight matches at both the MCG and Docklands.
Rounds 17-19 stand out as a tough patch that could make-or-break Carlton’s finals aspirations. The Blues tackle Collingwood, North Melbourne and Geelong in this period.
Of last year’s finalists, Carlton plays the eventual top four– Hawthorn, Geelong, the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda – only once, while they also meet the ever-competitive North Melbourne once.
INJURY LIST
Jordan Bannister: hamstring – 1 week
Andrew Carrazzo: arm – 3-4 weeks
Adam Hartlett: knee – 1 week
Darren Pfeiffer: shoulder – 1 week
Robert Warnock: foot – 3 weeks
MATT BURGAN’S PLAYER RATINGS
5 – Brendan Fevola, Bryce Gibbs, Chris Judd, Marc Murphy, Nick Stevens, Jarrad Waite (6 players – 30 points)
Expect Gibbs and Murphy, outstanding last year, to be regarded as elite midfielders by season's end. Waite may surprise, but he is good enough to be a key All-Australian defender. Stevens' ability to bounce back from a serious neck injury last year was vastly-underrated and remains integral. Judd and Fevola go without saying.
4 – Andrew Carrazzo, Shaun Grigg, Ryan Houlihan, Chris Johnson, Matthew Kreuzer, Heath Scotland, Kade Simpson, Bret Thornton (8 players – 32 points)
Carrazzo has had an interrupted pre-season, but his durability sees him as a key. Expect Kreuzer and Grigg to rise and Johnson to step-up at his new club after glimpses of class in the second half of last year. Scotland has been super reliable, but a niggling pre-season slips him back. Simpson and Thornton remain important. A fit Houlihan should show his class in a quality side.
3 – Dennis Armfield, Eddie Betts, Paul Bower, Steven Browne, Cameron Cloke, Brad Fisher, Richard Hadley, Shaun Hampson, Michael Jamison, Mitch Robinson, Jordan Russell, Andrew Walker, Simon Wiggins, Chris Yarran, Greg Bentley (rookie), Jeff Garlett (rookie), Sam Jacobs (rookie) (17 players – 51 points)
Walker could clearly rise higher, but has shoulder concerns. Jamison could also step-up. Hadley can play, but needs an injury-free run. Draftees Robinson and Yarran are ready to go. Expect improvement from Betts, Bower, Cloke, Russell, Armfield, Browne and Hampson. Rookies Bentley, Garlett and Jacobs have impressed and are poised to play. Wiggins will keep on playing his part.
2 – Joe Anderson, Mark Austin, Jordan Bannister, Jake Edwards, Adam Bentick, Adam Hartlett, Setanta O'hAilpin, Rhys O'Keefe, Robert Warnock, David Ellard (rookie), Aaron Joseph (rookie), Darren Pfeiffer (rookie) (12 players – 24 points)
Anderson, Austin and Edwards are still developing; Hartlett has talent, but has had no luck with his body. O'hAilpin remains on the cusp. The experienced Bannister and Bentick have injury concerns and some youngsters are now ahead. Ruck recruit Warnock (foot) is on the long-term injury list. O’Keefe could play this season.
1 – Caleb Tiller, Lachie Hill (rookie), Brent Stanton (rookie) (3 players – 3 points)
With Joseph impressing in the pre-season, and Ellard and Pfeiffer playing AFL matches in 2008, it could make it difficult for Hill and Stanton to break through this year. Still they are not without a chance of pushing up. No Blues veterans means two nominated rookies will be named, and Warnock’s injury means a third rookie can be elevated.
Total team rating – 140 (4 of 16, league-wide)
THE YEAR AHEAD
Optimism abounds at Visy Park, but the teams that occupied the eight last season aren't going to give up their spots without a fight. There is still plenty of work ahead of Brett Ratten's men, but the natural improvement of players like Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs and Matthew Kreuzer coupled with the proven star power of Chris Judd, Brendan Fevola and Jarrad Waite has the Blues well-positioned for a finals assault.
WHAT THE CLUB SAYS
"We want to continue our growth from last year. We've spent a long time putting the list together with a number of elite draft choices and we showed signs last year that we were competitive. We're looking for continued improvement in an individual and collective sense.
"We'd be disappointed if we didn't hit that 12-win mark. It's part of Carlton culture that we're expected to play finals; we've been down for long enough. Finals are definitely the aim and we're not putting any barriers on that."
– assistant coach Mark Riley
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
