Carlton defender Harry O'Farrell has declared his body is feeling the best it ever has as he seeks to put a 2026 season wiped out by an ACL rupture behind him.
O'Farrell suffered the knee injury in August last year after looking like he would springboard into 2026 off six impressive late season games.
“Everything's going really well,” O'Farrell said in a video released by Carlton Media on Wednesday.
“The knee is feeling amazing, it's been over a year now, I feel like I probably could have been out there a while back but ready to get back into pre-season and firing for next year.
“it was tough early on seeing the boys run out in Opening Round and in the big games but as the year went on, I got to enjoy it, and sit back and watch the boys play and enoy it and when they got the run on, it was amazing to watch.
“I think I'll be ready to attack pre-season and ready to go.
“I feel like I'm in a really great spot, I feel like the body is the best it's ever been. I've put more size on which is always good – I needed to.”
Rising defender Harry Dean's immediate impact in his first year gave the Blues defensive cover this year, alongside Jacob Weitering and the prospect of O'Farrell joining them next year is an exciting prospect as the club looks to back up a top 10 finish.
“I was itching to come back just to play with ‘Deany',” O'Farrell said.
“It'll have to wait until next year but I can't wait.”
He was taken in the 2024 AFL Draft alongside Jagga Smith and each of them has since missed an entire season with an ACL rupture. Lining up alongside Smith is something which excites O'Farrell and the Rising Star is optimistic about what O'Farrell's 2027 will provide.
“I've been so proud of him. It'll be great to run out with him for the first time,” Smith said.
“In the first month we were driving to the club and saying how good it would be to play an AFL game together and it's taken a while for that to happen but he's made some great improvements in his rehab and he's looking much stronger and much fitter and I can't wait to run out there with him.”
Weitering is confident O'Farrell will be able to make a quick impact next year.
“It was a small sample size towards the back end of 2025 but he's going to be a special player,” Weitering said.
“He's worked bloody hard to get through his rehab and get better as a player and to have him on the field, I think will make us walk a little taller. It will be a versatile backline.”
