Carlton’s top 10 players of the decade

The Blues have played finals in three seasons between 2010-2019, culminating in wins in 2011 and 2013.

Carlton has since finished inside the bottom four in three of the past four years, and are destined to finish there once again this season.

The Blues have had some ups and downs over the past 10 years, but these 10 men have stood tall.

Zach Tuohy

Tuohy played 120 games for Carlton from 2010-2016 where he kicked 40 goals, and was a regular member in the Carlton backline playing off half-back.

In 2013, Tuohy finished seventh in the club's best and fairest and was a key player in a growing Carlton team, and in 2015, Tuohy continued to build and finished third in the club's best and fairest in that season. Tuohy became known for his run and dash off the backline and his long, accurate kicking where he kicked a number of goals from outside 50.

Ed Curnow

One of the more underrated players over the last few years for the Blues, Curnow goes about his business flying under the radar, playing a key tagging role in the Carlton midfield on the opposition's most potent midfielder while finding much of the ball himself. In 2013, Curnow had his breakout year where Champion Data rated him as the second-best tagger in the AFL and finished fourth in the club's best and fairest.

Curnow is the epitome of a consistent performer and a great club person, and has continued to maintain that manner even more now in the present being a leader of the football club.

 

Sam Docherty

Docherty came to the Blues in 2013 after being a long-time Carlton supporter, and immediately made his mark.

Playing off half-back, Docherty has sublime foot skills and his ability to read the play is second to none. In 2017, Docherty elevated his level of play where he earned his maiden All-Australian selection after leading the AFL in kicks, marks and was also top five in overall meters gained and rebounds from defensive 50.

Docherty is currently the club's co-captain and will be looking to make his mark again on this rebuilding Carlton team as he looks to come back from two consecutive knee reconstructions.

Bryce Gibbs

Gibbs was drafted by the Blues in 2007 with pick number one and was thrust into the leadership group without having played a single game, which shows how highly the Blues rated Gibbs as a draftee.

Gibbs was a very solid midfielder for the Blues over his time at the club and was known well for his outstanding ability to find the ball and use it efficiently. In 2016, Gibbs won his first best and fairest for the club and was named in the All-Australian 40-man squad, where he averaged 26.8 disposals and 5.2 tackles per game.

Matthew Kreuzer

Kreuzer was drafted with pick one in the 2008 draft and was immediately a game-changer for the Blues with his fantastic rucking and ability to follow up his own ruck work and get around the ground better than must ruckman would.

In 2017, Kreuzer had a career-best season where he only missed one game for the season and was selected in the initial 40-man All-Australian squad. In 2017, he also finished third in Carlton's best and fairest. Whenever Kreuzer plays, Carlton is instantly a better team because of his work around the ground, and he has been a vital member over the decade for the Blues.

Eddie Betts

Betts in his time at the Blues was almost as vital and important as it gets. Betts kicked 42 goals in 2010 to lead the club for the first time, then in 2011 he kicked 50 goals in the season.

In 2012, Betts kicked 48 goals, stepping up in the absence of several of the Blues' key forwards to become their major forward target. In that year he led the club's goal kicking, was runner-up in the best and fairest count and was named in the 40-man All-Australian squad for a second straight year.

Betts left for the Adelaide Crows at the end of the 2013 season, but his impact in the three years from 2010-2013 were immense and so important for the Blues.

Patrick Cripps

Cripps was drafted with pick number 13 in the 2013 draft as a strong-bodied midfielder capable of winning his own ball and making an impact in the contest. Since then, Cripps has established himself as Carlton's most important midfielder and one of the very best midfielders in the entire AFL.

In 2015, he finished second in the Rising Star award after holding favouritism with bookmakers for much of the year, and he won Carlton's best and fairest to become the second-youngest winner in the award's history. Cripps has elevated his game each season and at the end of the 2018 season, was named co-captain of the team and his leadership moving forward will be more important than ever.

Kade Simpson

Simpson can be defined as the heart and soul of the team. He's hard at the ball, clean with his ball use and he lives and breathes the Carlton Football Club.

Without having the label as captain, etc, he lets his football do the talking, and it shows week in and week out with his consistent performances and being known as Mr. Reliable, even to the present time as he is set to embark on his 18th season next season. Simpson has played 323 games for the Blues over his career going back to 2003, and has continued to be a very solid contributor over his time, where in 2016 he averaged 27.2 disposals per game and was nominated in the All-Australian squad of 40 but was not named in the final 22.

Simpson also finished second in Carlton's best and fairest award behind defender Sam Docherty in 2017. Simpson's consistency over the years has earned his place as a very vital figure for the club.

Marc Murphy

Murphy was drafted with pick number one in the 2006 draft, and has been one of Carlton's most important players over the decade. A brilliant ability to find the ball and amazing user of the footy, Murphy was an influential player as his time with the club went on.

In 2011, Murphy was named to the 22-man All-Australian team and won his first best and fairest for the club, averaging 29.1 disposals per game. In 2013, Murphy was announced as the captain of the Blues where he led the Blues through to the 2019 season, where he stepped down after five years as skipper.

Murphy has been an amazing servant over the years and has been such a classy player and person on and off the field.

Chris Judd

Judd came to the club in 2008 in a trade with the West Coast Eagles, and immediately made an impact on the group, where he was awarded as captain of the club upon his arrival. Judd played 21 of the 22 home-and-away games through the 2008 season was named All-Australian captain and ruck rover in the 22-man squad and won the best and fairest of the Carlton Football Club also.

In 2009, Judd led the Blues to their first finals in a number of years and won the club's best and fairest for a second straight season. In 2010, Judd won the Brownlow Medal, polling 30 votes while also being named All-Australian in that season and winning a third best and fairest in a row in the process.

One of Judd's memorable moments was leading the Blues to a 2013 elimination final comeback win when the result seemed almost all but lost.

Judd was as influential as it gets for the team and the club as a whole with his ability to break out of stoppages, being a fantastic user of the ball and lead from the front, and his time with the Blues from 2010 until finishing up in 2015 gave everyone around the club a sense of belief that anything was possible.

Normally not one single player has that ability, but Judd brought that aura to the Blues and left an imprint for the Blues moving forward where he is still actively involved in the management side of things.