Until the start of the 2010 season this coming Thursday night, we have previewed in depth every 16 clubs. We started off with Fremantle, then the Bulldogs, the Kangaroos and Collingwood. Then we have looked at Richmond, Sydney, the West Coast Eagles, Essendon and Melbourne. Last week we start off with Geelong, we then previewed St Kilda, Adelaide, Hawthorn and Saturday Port Adelaide. We finish our previews with Brisbane yesterday and today Carlton.

Tomorrow, we will give a full season 2010 prediction/ preview like we did last year. If you would like to write or help out with Kick2Kick, please contact us.

Carlton have again caused controversity with its 2010 membership drive

What happened last year

2009 saw Carlton’s first September appearance in 8 years to add weight to their Season Campaign Slogan “They Know We’re Coming”. The sour taste of an Elimination Final loss should have created an appetite for the young Blues to return to the top 8 again in 2010.

What will happen in 2010

If in 2009 Carlton prepared the entrée by making the finals, will they go on and prepare the main meal in 2010? (CEO Greg Swann has been eating out too much to provide such quotes). There are plenty of questions for the Carlton Football Club in 2010

• Slogan Question “Can You Smell What The Blues Are Cooking?”
• The obvious question: “Who’s going to kick the goals now that Fev’s gone?”
• Which for Ratten is a better proposition than ‘Who is going to replace Fev?’

It’s well documented the structural changes required from the Blues transitioning from a one dimensional forward focus to a multi faceted approach.

New Blue Lachie Henderson and Setenta O’hAilpin are big frames thrown in the forward 50 to replace the former#25’s Coleman Medal winning 89 Goals. Matthew Kruizer has also played in the forward line in the NAB Cup especially with Carlton’s healthy ruck stocks this year.

To fill the void of a dominant forward, Carlton will require a hungrier approach from the entire midfield similar to Marc Murphy’s 31 goals last year. True Carlton fans will prefer multiple goal kickers that can perform every week rather than rest on the shoulders of one goal kicker.

Likely finish: 7^th

Players to watch

Obviously some new talent has arrived at but not to be overlooked is the Triple W Threat: Waite, Warnock and Walker are all keen to return after injury riddled seasons in 2009. Waite started 2009 well and provides a much needed utility option whilst Warnock will be keen to get out in the Navy Blue after a year off and will provide much relief for Kruizer. Walker will be keen to put the off season attention behind him and demonstrate his maturity along side his much younger team mates who were also top draft picks.

New to Visy Park: it will be interesting to see if recycled Demon recruit Brock McLean can be the in an under player to free up Captain Judd, who could easily add to his 12 goals from last year. Judd has had probably his best preseason in his career and will be keen to lead the Blues in Round 4 (after serving his 3 match suspension from 2009 Elim Final). Murphy, Gibbs, Simpson and Hadley will all be sure to benefit from the addition of B Mac.

Bench Warmers

Riding the pine, but with opportunity to shine: Chris Yarran, Jeff Garlett showed glimpses last year as Eddie Betts stunt doubles. Armfield, Austin and Robinson will be keen to continue from a promising season so too will Aaron Joseph but hardly fair to call him a bench warmer given his 22 games in 2009 and his reputation as one of the hardest taggers in the comp. Plenty of fans #25 Navy Blue jumpers being changed to #45 in the offseason in support of Joseph. (Some dropped the obvious digit and went to #5)

Need to Improve

With the level of depth available at Visy Park and the young Blues on tap, there will be a few anxious experienced players keen to improve and consolidate their position. Heath Scotland will not want to wear a Bullants jumper like last year. Walker and Houlihan will be desperate to show they belong in the best 22 and not remembered for their incident at Crown in the absence of their Walter Withers pants. With O’hAilpin turning 27 this week most will expect the Irish experiment to start bearing fruit and add to his 12/12 games/goals from 2009.

Your thoughts

Can You Smell What The Blues Are Cooking? Do the returns of the 3 x Ws and new recruits keep Carlton in the top 8 in the absence of an experienced Fevola? Can anything be read into 3 losses in the preseason? Will Kruizer play forward or ruck? Do the Blues have the midfield capable of controlling the tempo of games to their benefit? Will Ratten dismantle the solid backline to bolster up forward (Waite?)

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