Carlton possess two top 11 picks for this year's AFL Draft while having access to a potential top five pick for 2025, with the Blues well-placed to come out of the count with a strong return.
Their draft haul will follow a busy trade period for the Victorian powerhouse, who added five experienced players to their squad, but lost four of their own.
Despite the list of incoming players, Carlton also left the trade period with a much stronger draft hand, which will be critical to their planning as they have a handful of club-tied prospects.
Here we assess the Blues's draft hand, their list needs for the draft and the prospects they might target.
Draft Hand
Picks: 9, 11, 43, 54, 67, 72 (2758 Points)
The Blues exited the trade period with a much-needed boost of picks and points, having entered it with one of the lower totals in the league while needing to attain multiple club-tied teenagers.
Picks 9 and 11, however, will likely be traded before, or during, the draft, with Carlton expected to move back in the order and add to their points total, before potentially moving back into the first-round of the draft.
A bid for father-son Harry is likely to come before Pick 9, and maybe as early as Pick 5, making it difficult for the Blues to get ahead of that bid. A selecetion for NGA talent Jack Ison could come in the second round and won't hit their points tally too hard, while another priority access prospect in Ty Gresham might be selected late in the piece or as a rookie.
Adding to their 2025 plans will be the consideration the Blues have for next year in their bid to attain top-rated talent Cody Walker as a father-son pick. However, having added Sydney's first round to their own, they're already well placed.
List Needs
Rearguard Reinforcement: In both the short and long term, the Blues need to add to their tall defensive options. Jacob Weitering is their rock down back, but support aroud him has been lacking. Nick Haynes has proven to be an astute pickup, but 2026 could be his final season in the top flight. They've also found one in Harry O'Farrell, however he'll likely miss most, or all, of the coming season with an ACL injury. The loss of Jack Silvagni will be felt, and while Carlton won't find a defender of a similar standard on the open market, they can look to build one from the draft.
Key Forward Force: While Silvagni's exit will be felt, the void made by Charlie Curnow's departure will be impossible to fill. The pecking order of key forwards at Carlton was a concern before the two-time Coleman Medal winner sought a move away from Princes Park, with Harry McKay the only other pure forward above 192cm. A tall forward who, at the very least, can place pressure on senior selection with some strong VFL form next year would be ideal. A more experienced option may still be needed, with a rookie list spot potentially used on a delisted AFL name or state league star.
Dash From Defence: What 2025 made evident was Carlton's need for run and clean ball work out of defence. Ollie Hollands is a name to shift back full-time as their architect in defence, while Nic Newman will return from his lengthy injury layoff, but there's room for more, especially when planning for the future. A prospect who can roll into a half-back post and give Carlton's attakcking avenues some spark from the back half will be among their desired list fits at the draft.
Potential Targets
Harry Dean: The standout prospect among Carlton's club-tied talent, with Dean also set to fill a much-needed void in the Blues' backline depth chart. Jacob Weitering needs a long-term parnter on Carlton's last line, and Dean look to be just that. The 193cm defender is the clear No.1 key backman in this year's draft class and will slot into a position alongside Weitering and Harry O'Farrell in the years ahead, flexing his intercept and lockdown abilities.
| 7 RANK |  | Harry Dean Murray Bushrangers Defender HEIGHT: 193cm | โถ+ |
Jacob Farrow: The Western Australian was the state's standout prospect at this year's U18s National Championships, emerging as a damaging asset from half-back and through midfield given his power and burst. In the mould of Fremantle's Hayden Young, Farrow is likely to start his career as a defender before swithcing to midfield when he's ready. With the Blues' midfield options often lacking an ability to feature in other thirds of the field, Farow could be a nice point of difference at Princes Park. Farrow presents as an option for the Blues in the first round, should they trade back into the draft order after matching a bid for Harry Dean.
| 13 RANK |  | Jacob Farrow West Perth Midfielder/Defender HEIGHT: 188cm | + |
Cody Curtin: Curtin's draft range is unclear a month out from the count, with a selection coming as early as the second round, or as late as the final few picks. What is known is his calibre as a goalkicking threat in attack, with Curtin booting 35 goals in 10 WAFL Colts games in 2025, including an eight-goal haul in a pre-seasion hitout. He also booted six goals across four matches for Western Australia and has shown to be a viable swingman option if required.
| N/A RANK |  | Cody Curtin Claremont Utility HEIGHT: 200cm | + |
