Brutal trade reality proves Blues need list ‘upheaval’… but it’s a ‘difficult conversation’

A significant off-season looms for the Blues. But their ability to be bold at the trade table remains somewhat tricky.

While Carlton’s crucial investigation into the circumstances surrounding Elijah Hollands’ fitness to play has dominated headlines for the past week, the Blues have now slipped to 16th on the AFL ladder with a 1-5 record.

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And with games against Fremantle (away), St Kilda, Brisbane (away) and Western Bulldogs to come, it’s a tough outlook for Michael Voss’ side.

So in the latest episode of the Midweek Tackle digital-only show ‘Tackle The Headline’, CODE Sports reporters Lauren Wood and Glenn McFarlane, as well as Fox Footy commentator Corbin Middlemas, ran the fine-tooth comb over Carlton’s list.

“I reckon this is fascinating. They’re one of the more interesting lists going around the Blues,” McFarlane told Tackle The Headline.

“They’re not quite stuck in the middle, because I think they’re further down than the middle.”

The Blues were busy during last year’s trade period. They lost Corey Durdin (Port Adelaide) and, most notably, Charlie Curnow (Sydney) to rival clubs, while acquiring Swans duo Will Hayward and Ollie Florent, Gold Coast forward Ben Ainsworth, West Coast winger Campbell Chesser and Fremantle ruck Liam Reidy.

But Fox Footy commentator Corbin Middlemas said, upon reflection, he was surprised the Blues didn’t make a bigger splash during the 2025 AFL exchange period.

“If you remember last year’s trade period for the Blues, we actually thought they were going to be extremely active,” Middlemas told Tackle The Headline. “I know Charlie Curnow went, who was the most high-profile player that moved in last year’s trade period, but they weren’t really as active as what we thought they would be.

“They brought in a bunch of players who were fringe players at other teams and nice pieces, without there being any major activity to their list.

“It feels like this off-season there needs to be a bit more upheaval.”

So after losing Curnow last year, should the Blues look to move on another key, established player 12 months later?

CRIPPS VERDICT

Four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis earlier this month on Fox Footy’s On The Couch said the Blues must ask themselves a serious question on whether they can trade out Patrick Cripps – an eight-year Blues captain, dual Brownlow Medallist and five-time best and fairest winner.

I would’ve always said you never trade a guy who’s been your best player for a long period of time, Patrick Cripps,” McFarlane said. “But if you get to a stage, what else have they got to trade on the list?

“That’s the hardest bit when you look through.”

Middlemas said a team like Fremantle “could always do with some big-bodied midfielders and they’re in the window” – a prospect that might make a move home to WA more attractive for Cripps.

But Middlemas warned: “If you’re Fremantle, why would you be giving up multiple first-round picks at this stage?

“And then you think if you’re the Blues, is it worth the squeeze?

“You almost may as well keep him, as opposed to ripping a heart and soul player out at this stage of his career. I think he’s going to be really hard to deal.”

WEITEIRING VERDICT

Dual All-Australian David King on Sunday night suggested on Fox Footy’s First Crack that Carlton should put All-Australian Jacob Weitering up for trade at season’s end to help accelerate the Blues rebuild.

McFarlane said Weitering was the Blues player “that’s got a bit of upside” for rival clubs, “given you can’t get defenders like him.

“He’s got a long-term deal at the footy club, does he stay? He’s one that’d be attractive to another (club),” he said.

“But again, heart and soul (player), he’s a co vice-captain of the footy club.”

Wood suggested after losing key forward Curnow, the Blues would be hesitant to lose another key-position player at the other end of the field.

But Middlemas said if the Blues were looking to get ample value in, a Weitering trade “makes the most sense”.

“If you’re Carlton and looking at ‘who can we get that’s going to get us a lot of assets back’ and also be appealing to another club in the competition … I feel like if you look at everyone on their list and weigh up the age that they’re in, what would appeal for the player to leave the club at this particular stage – I think Weitering’s the one that just about makes the most sense,” he said.

AND WHAT ABOUT THIS TRIO?

McFarlane said midfielder Sam Walsh was not “movable” after signing a fresh long-term deal that ties him to the Blues until the end of 2034.

He added that midfielder Adam Cerra, who’s contracted to Carlton until the end of 2030, arguably wouldn’t appeal greatly to rival clubs.

And after losing Curnow, McFarlane said the Blues “have to keep” Harry McKay.

“It feels like we’ve always had a chat about Harry McKay and worked out whether he’s the man to go,” McFarlane said. “But with no Charlie Curnow – and they’re struggling to kick goals as it is at the moment – it’s awkward to see you could get rid of a player like Harry.

“We’ve got to work out whether he can get back to that level where he did win a Coleman Medal, but he’s one they probably have to keep because they just don’t have a lot of avenues to goal.”

THE BROADER CONCERN

Middlemas suggested Carlton’s lack of potential trade assets highlighted the club’s complex list situation.

“It’s interesting when you look through the list, you pull up the other browser and think: ‘Hang on, who have they got on their list and what can we actually deal with?’ It’s a difficult conversation,” he said.

“They’ve got some really good young talent that they’re obviously trying to build – Jagga Smith and Harry Dean, even guys like Harry O’Farrell and these kinds of players we’ve seen a little bit of – but outside of that, the guys in the middle are actually guys they’ve gone and pinched from other clubs to top up their own list. I don’t know if you’d necessarily be moving them on again or they’re as appealing to another club.”

McFarlane said the Blues’ most pressing priority would be to ensure they secure young gun Cody Walker, who’s already nominated Carlton as a father-son selection. But the AFL has yet to confirm the mechanics around its new-look draft bidding system, meaning the Blues remain in the dark around what specific picks and points they’ll need to match an inevitably early Walker bid.

“The priority is for the Blues they’ve got to get Cody Walker in. That’ll happen, he’s going to be really important,” McFarlane said.

“So not only have they got a big trade period coming up, they’ve got a big draft period coming up. They’ve got to invest in young talent, which has been an area that’s been a problem, but they’ve done that with Jagga Smith.”

PICK WATCH

McFarlane also pointed to an intriguing 2026 draft situation.

To ensure they had enough points to match an early bid on Harry Dean last year, the Blues parted with their two first-round selections, sending Pick 9 to Essendon and Pick 11 to North Melbourne. And as part of the North Melbourne deal, the Blues acquired the Kangaroos’ 2026 second-round pick.

Yes there’s a long way to go, but the Kangaroos sit fifth on the ladder after Round 6, meaning their natural second-round selection sits at Pick 32.

“That sounded great a while ago, but the way North Melbourne is playing now, that could be pretty messy by the end,” McFarlane said.