Getting Blues rebuild right ‘will take time’
COACH Brendon Bolton has urged the Carlton faithful to remain patient with their rebuild.
The Blues have failed to make the finals since 2013 and have finished in the bottom five for the past three seasons.
They currently sit at the bottom of the ladder at 0-3, and head into their Saturdaynight clash with North Melbourne in Tasmania as outsiders.
Bolton refused to put a timeframe on Carlton’s tilt for long-term success.
“I know a lot of people want me to say, ‘it’s one year, it’s two years, it’s three years’, and then there is a big story that we haven’t got there or we have got there,” Bolton said.
“The story doesn’t change, we’re not going to deviate – we can’t. This club doesn’t want to fall off the cliff again, we want to build and be sustainably strong.”
The Blues coach said the club was doing exactly what supporters asked of them after their last-placed finish in 2015.
“I think the main thing the Bluebaggers want is absolute clarity and understanding about where we’re at,” Bolton said.
“I know they wanted (at the end of 2015) to go the draft and build, so we’ve done that.”
Carlton has drafted firstround selections Jacob Weitering, Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay (2015), Sam PetrevskiSeton (2016), and Paddy Dow and Lochie O’Brien (2017) in that period.
“At the right time we look at uncontracted players and free agency market, but we’re not going to do that until we think we’ve got a foundation of talented youth that’s played some games,” Bolton said.
Heading the list of Carlton’s youth is Curnow, 21.
“He’s a terrific talent ... all Bluebaggers should be pretty excited about Charlie,” Bolton said.
“He’s got a big engine and a strong mark so he’s a difficult match-up for opposition.”
Another player Blues supporters are excited about is tall forward McKay, taken two selections before Curnow in the 2015 draft. McKay has played just two games for the club due to form and injury.
“For the two and a bit years he’s been here to date he’s had body issues – he hasn’t completed a full preseason,” Bolton said.
“We’re trying to build consistency so when he does come in the AFL, he’s not in and out.”