Our list - what we have and what we need

[SPORNTON]

Below is an outline of what our best 26 should look like from next year going forward (hence Simpson being omitted as he is likely to retire).  I included only players I deemed rightfully belonged in our journey as a high performing team chasing flag no.17.  Yes, some positions are held by those with merely potential, but they are promising prospects.  The blanks represent spots that I don't think anyone on our list is fit to fill.  That's why players I've included in our emergencies are just that - good quality depth players but not a walk up into our best 22.

The good news - we only have 3 blanks.  I expected us to have a lot more.

The bad news - we still have 3 blanks, and one is crucial - another big bodied midfielder is required.  And as is the case with the remaining 2 blanks, I believe this spot needs to be filled by a 21-24 year old to support our relatively young 23 remaining players listed.  That means trading and doing what we haven't been able to do for a long time - prying a player out of a club that they aren't happy to see go.  Fringe players won't cut it.  Gaff is an example of one such player - we need to throw everything at him.

FB:  Blank  Weitering  Plowman
HB:  Docherty  Marchbank  Blank
C:  Dow  Kennedy  SPS 
HF:  Wright  C.Curnow  Fisher
FF:  Garlett  McKay  Lamb
Foll:  Kreuzer  Cripps  Blank
I/C:  E.Curnow  Lang  Murphy
Emg: Cunningham  Williamson  Mullett  Pickett

[PaulP]

Gaff isn't a bad player, but mids of his type are easier to come by than top shelf key forwards, which IMO is a far greater priority. Not sure how you define "throw everything", but if it's the same definition as mine ($1M per season), and if the club offers that to Gaff, I'll spew.

[flyboy77]

Gaff isn't a bad player, but mids of his type are easier to come by than top shelf key forwards, which IMO is a far greater priority. Not sure how you define "throw everything", but if it's the same definition as mine ($1M per season), and if the club offers that to Gaff, I'll spew.

You'd get Wines or Shiel for that sort of money.....

[PaulP]

You'd get Wines or Shiel for that sort of money.....

If we got either of those two, the club would have dodged a recruiting gaffe.

[LP]

Is it too early to be looking at the likes of Wines or Shiel, given we haven't really got a settled spine yet!

[SPORNTON]

I'd say it depends on what is on offer in the market.  If there's a key forward, great, but if not, we need to secure a big bodied mid and trust McKay and Curnow to be our key forwards.  H in particular is still very raw and has upside, so I don't think our spine is in terrible shape as is:

Weitering - strong potential
Marchbank - already proven
Kreuzer - already proven
Curnow - already proven
McKay - strong potential

[LP]

Spornton, I really worry that the old impatient Carlton might not want to wait long enough for all that to fall into place.

Posters on this forum are already touting Weitering as season end trade bait after only 2 Rnds of 2018.

It's the old Carlton way.

[Navy Maven]

I'll be really concerned if Lamb is still in our best 22 next year, personally I think he is our barometer of depth player. While he's still in the team, our team isn't good enough. Likewise Mullett, haven't seen anything to suggest he's a long term solution. Conversely I think Williamson should be in that back 6, really rate him.

I'm hoping that someone like Pickett forces Lamb out of the side by seasons end.

[townsendcalling]

Is there a case to suggest that Williamson will fill a blank on the HBF and that O'Brien* could come onto the bench??  (*In SOS we trust...well, we gotta!)

[deags]

My one concern with that side as listed is McKay.
Sure we haven't seen enough of the kid, and I'm not saying he couldn't be the next Lance Franklin, but he just doesn't seem to have the mongrel or "in and hard at it" that I'd expect from a kid who is sitting in the 2s, wanting to make it as a professional AFL player.