Carlton are a team of interest in 2025, with several quality players returning from injury including Sam Docherty and Jack Silvagni, while draftee Jagga Smith was going to be popular until a pre-season ACL injury.
Fixture
Carlton have been given the flick from Opening Round this year which means no early bye, which is great. The Blues, however, have the first mid-season bye in Round 12, which is good for offloading rookies or value picks who’ve maxxed out but not premos. You might plan to bring in under-priced premos after their bye.
Squad Changes
Ins
Ben Camporeale (No.43 draft pick, father-son), Lucas Camporeale (No.54 draft pick, father-son), Harry Charleson (Rookie Draft), Matt Duffy (Category B rookie), Nick Haynes (free agent, Greater Western Sydney), Harry O’Farrell (No.40 draft pick), Jagga Smith (No.3 draft pick)
Outs
Domanic Akuei (delisted), Jack Carroll (delisted), Matt Carroll (delisted), David Cuningham (delisted), Sam Durdin (delisted), Matt Kennedy (trade, Western Bulldogs), Caleb Marchbank (delisted), Jack Martin (delisted, Geelong), Alex Mirkov (delisted), Matt Owies (trade, West Coast)
Snapshot
The Blues have made plenty of squad changes, letting several fringe players go to other clubs, including Matthew Kennedy, Matt Owies and Jack Martin.
Jagga Smith is their prised draft pick who would’ve come into their 2025 plans if not for a pre-season ACL injury, while Nick Haynes adds depth to their key back options.
Injury returns
The Baggers copped plenty of injuries in 2024, with Jack Silvagni top of the list from a Fantasy/SuperCoach point of view, having missed the entire season with an ACL injury.
Veteran Sam Docherty is discounted, having played in Opening Round before his ACL injury, returning remarkably for their elimination final. Both Silvagni and Docherty could slot into the half-back role vacated by Nic Newman who is out for 2025 with a knee injury.
Mainstays
It’s hard to go past Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps, while plenty of coaches will monitor Sam Walsh’s injury status.
Room for improvement
Sam Walsh is the main one in this category, after missing the first chunk of last year with a back injury, before returning in style, only to fade as the season wore on.
Tom De Koning showcased his quality when he got the opportunity to be Carlton’s sole ruck and has big upside.
Injuries interrupted midfielder Adam Cerra’s 2024 season, restricting him to 12 games, and if he can find some continuity, he could easily offer value.
Rookies
Carlton traded their way to pick 3 in last season’s AFL Draft where they took Jagga Smith, so they clearly like him. He is a Vic Metro midfielder, who accumulates plenty of footy, averaging 29.3 disposals and 4.8 marks per game. He is a reigning Under 18 All-Australian and came third in last year’s Morrish Medal.
Since we wrote this Smith did his ACL, ruling him out for the season, while father-son pick Lucas Camporeale impressed in the Blues’ AAMI Community Series game with a score of 88/65 (AF/SC) bringing him into consideration.
