LEVI Casboult has great hands. The question is: how great?
AFL legend Wayne Carey suggests the Carlton forward might have the best hands in the game, while Casboult's teammate Lachie Henderson has taken it a step further.
"I reckon Levi's definitely got the best hands in the business," Henderson told AFL.com.au after Casboult played a key role in the Blues' 85-point win over St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
"That mark he took at the end of the third quarter when he had three blokes around him, that was an absolutely fantastic grab.
"He's got the greatest hands in the game, for sure."
Casboult was the most eye-catching member of a three-pronged Blues attack in which he, Henderson and usual defender Simon White bagged four goals apiece, contributing a combined 12.1 in Carlton's impressive total of 24.7 (151).
Most significantly, the often-inaccurate Casboult had a 100 per cent strike rate, equalling his career-best of 4.0 against Hawthorn just three weeks ago.
He now has nine straight from his past four games, after just 4.8 in his previous 10 outings. Overall, the 24-year-old man-mountain has 27 goals from 28 AFL appearances.
Between them, the Blues' triumvirate claimed 23 marks. Critically, nine of them were contested, including four apiece to Casboult and Henderson.
"Levi clunked 'em today like he always does and the important thing was he kicked straight," Henderson said.
"Kicking has always been the thing that could let him down but he's worked really hard on it over the last year or two and it's kudos to him that he's improved in that area."
Blues coach Mick Malthouse believes Casboult is probably his club's most improved player this season, and says his development is reward for both the forward's hard work and the club's patience.
"Big blokes, we tend to cast them aside pretty early, and it's the nature of the draft – you can't be waiting forever," Malthouse said.
"If you've got the patience and you think there's a flicker there, you've got to stick with it and go through a bit of pain. And I'd say the club's been through a bit of pain with Levi in regard to his inconsistencies.
"This year he's had less of them and he's had a bigger impact when he's played. He would be as close to anyone who's had a major improvement from last year."
Henderson also lavished praise on White, who looked a natural forward despite rarely ever playing at that end of the ground in his junior career.
"We had 'Whitey' playing a pretty pivotal role on Sean Dempster, so for Dempster to not have much of an impact and Whitey to kick four goals was a great effort," Henderson said.
"When we're using the ball well and guys like Levi and Whitey are clunking them, it's a pretty big weapon."
Although many believe the efforts of the Blues' restructured attack will make it difficult for exiled veteran Jarrad Waite to regain his spot, Henderson isn't buying it.
"Waitey will get back in the side. He's a quality player and when he's at his best he can rip a game apart. Players like that usually aren't in the twos for long," he said.
"Our forward structure worked pretty well today but you'd love to have Waitey in there. Whitey can play at either end, so it just depends on the opposition."
As for himself, Henderson was pleased to get among the goals again after a string of "very indifferent" performances.
"I've had a lean patch the last month-and-a-half. I've just got to find that consistency and keep my workrate up and it'll come," he said.
"When the boys are playing well it's a lot easier for us forwards."
