Wild player plan for Carlton as season hits new low: ‘Everyone is on the market’
AFL great Nick Riewoldt says every player at Carlton should be on the trade table apart from four untouchables.
Carlton’s season hit a serious flashpoint on Saturday when they lost to lowly North Melbourne at the MCG.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.In the aftermath, questions have been asked about every player and the coaches.
And Carlton’s midfield is again being questioned. While there are plenty of stars, there is a sameness about size and body shape, and there is also a lack of pace.
“What do they? They’ve got no first-round (draft) pick this year. They have to get creative,” Riewoldt said on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.
“We’ve had a look at the list.
“These are the guys that I think are untouchable. (Patrick) Cripps is the skipper. (Jacob) Weitering is his heart and soul. He’s very, very difficult to replace. (Charlie) Curnow is a once in a generation (player), and Jagga Smith hasn’t played and is a first-round talent.
“Outside of that, I think everyone at Carlton is on the market.”
7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary was shocked.
“Only four ... four out of 40?” he said.
“No (Sam) Walsh, no (Harry) McKay.
“This is a list that is built for the now. They’ve spent their money. They’ve gone and got (Adam) Saad. They’ve gone and got (Adam) Cerra, Zac Williams, they’ve spent their money.
“This is a team that is meant to be contending now, and you’re saying they’ve got four untouchable players on the entire list?
“Their best six players are all between 24 and 30 got, yeah, it’s not time to blow the place up.”
Riewoldt stressed that it was not time “to throw it all out” but the Blues had to offload some players to bring in some some draft picks.
“You’ve got to get creative and actually bring in the types of players that you need, because they’ve got, they’ve got a lot of the same player,” he said.
“You know, great ball winners through the midfield, but can they break the lines?
“They’ve got to get some arsenal to get some picks in.
“So love Sam Walsh. Love him as a player, love him as a person, as a leader. But he is one of the few, I think, that has currency. I’d be holding him, but his name has been mentioned.
“Harry McKay, if I could get him off my books, I think there are other clubs, like a Sydney, like a Melbourne, even Collingwood, that need firepower in front of the ball.”
AFL great Lance Franklin says it’s time to move on coach Michael Voss.
“There’s going to be some big question marks on Vossy and whether he probably holds his job,” Franklin said on the Buddy and Shane Podcast on Monday.
“That’s what I’d be looking at, because something needs to change at that club, whether it’s Vossy moving on, whether they trade out some players.
“And I think there needs to be change.
“And we’ve said it before, we’re all about the players and coaches, but I think this is a change that needs to happen. And I think it needs to happen ASAP because the messaging is not getting through.”
Originally published on 7NEWS Sport
