Carlton's mid-season draft pick Josh Deluca has revealed his frustration at being told he wouldn't be offered a contract for the Blues in 2020.
Deluca was pick one in the mid-season draft, and played the final six games of the season as a forward under David Teague.
The 23-year-old moved from Perth to Melbourne in order to play for Carlton, and he told SEN Breakfast on Monday he went through with the move due to understanding his chances at a spot on the Blues' 2020 list were good.
โ100% (I thought Iโd have a list spot in 2020). I was pretty devastated and shocked because I thought I was in a better position than what I found out to be,โ Deluca said.
โI would have loved the opportunity to get a pre-season in and have a good crack at it next year, even if that was just a one-year contract.
โI was pretty flat to hear the news.
โIโm pretty sure weโd spoken about it earlier before getting drafted. Itโs a big move (from Perth to Melbourne) and Iโm not really keen on a six-month gig and they were pretty reassuring that it wouldnโt be.
โI was pretty flat to hear when that result came back and circumstances had changed.โ
The Blues did add forwards Eddie Betts and Jack Martin to the club during the off-season, although Deluca said he thought that wouldn't have an impact on his potential list spot.
โI understood that but what I was thinking was more along the lines of well, you would of have an idea that you were going to go for those players earlier in the season and I didnโt understand why I was picked up in the first place if that was the case,โ he added.
