Young star who could ‘unlock’ Charlie Curnow trade…. and power up AFL contender

It’s so far been a “hard no” from Carlton on a Charlie Curnow trade. But a Suns young gun could hold the key to the Blues entertaining a deal.

Young Gold Coast forward and former No. 3 draft pick Jed Walter is the “man who could unlock a Charlie Curnow trade,” according to chief Herald Sun reporter Jay Clark.

Curnow voiced his desire to be traded at his Blues exit meeting, with Sydney or Geelong his preferred destinations.

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Facilitating a deal with those clubs is tricky, however, given Carlton would ask for the world. The likes of Isaac Heeney, Errol Gulden, Chad Warner and Max Holmes are names that have been linked to trade talk — all of whom you’d expect are ‘untouchables’.

But 20-year old Walter, who’s shown huge potential as a power forward yet currently finds himself outside Damien Hardwick’s best 23, is believed to be a player of interest to the Blues.

“Until now, the Blues have been a hard no on a Curnow trade. This is the man who could move the needle on a Curnow trade,” Clark said of Walter on Fox Footy’s The First Crack.

“You won’t hear them say this publicly over the next week or so, but I understand the Blues like this man as someone at 195cm who could be their powerhouse forward and key cornerstone for the next decade.

“He’s been likened to Josh Kennedy. And there’s some synergy in the story there, remember Josh Kennedy left Carlton (in the trade for Chris Judd) after his second season and became a West Coast great.

“Potentially (Carlton) can land (Walter). I understand there is some interest in him.”

After falling well short of premiership contention the last two seasons, Clark sad there’s “definitely more of a look to the future” for the Blues with their list build moving forward.

“Have you got Carlton winning the premiership next year? Do you think they’re a top eight team?,” he posed.

“There’s no doubt they’re looking at some of their younger talent and it’s a broader brush.”

The 195cm Walter, who joined the Suns as an Academy player, spent the early years of his life in Perth before moving to Gold Coast.

The second-year player has booted 29 goals from 30 games.

Gold Coast, who currently holds three first-round picks in the 2025 draft, also needs points for highly-rated prospects Zeke Uwland and Dylan Patterson.

But a move for Curnow would just about make the Suns, who just won their first ever final, flag favourites in 2026, according to Kangaroos great David King.

“I’ve got the Suns nearly winning the premiership next year if they get Curnow,” King said.

“If Damen Hardwick could do that tonight, if you could get the paperwork to him right now, that’s a lock and load and go as hard as you can for next season.”

Saints great Leigh Montagna also endorsed the Suns trading for Curnow, despite the risk of giving up a highly-talented young player such as Walter.

“I think their window is the next three years, they can win a premiership. I think Charlie Curnow will help them do that,” Montagna said.

“That means they’re going to have to give up a young, prodigious talent. We don’t know how good he is going to be.

“There’s potential there, there’s still no guarantee. He’s going to be a very good player. But how good is he going to be? It’s still a long way to go.”