Carlton list manager Stephen Silvagni was the busiest man at Marvel Stadium on Wednesday night, after the Blues managed to place bids, make trades and select two players in the opening round of the 2019 AFL Draft.
The Blues famously traded away this year's first-round pick to Adelaide last year in their quest to draft Liam Stocker, and this year were armed with the Crows' pick 9.
Carlton then bid of Liam Henry - who went to Fremantle - and Tom Green who was snapped up by the Giants, before trading back in the draft.
Moves with the Suns and Power saw the Blues have picks 17 and 20, with the club drafting Brodie Kemp and Sam Philp.
Journalist Sam Edmund spoke on SEN Breakfast on Thursday morning and detailed just how Silvagni pulled it off.
“With pick 9, the Blues put a bid on Freo academy prospect Liam Henry, which was a real surprise,” Edmund said.
“That forced Fremantle to trade with Port Adelaide and unload their entire draft pick haul to match.
“But the Blues weren’t done there. They then whacked a bid on GWS academy prospect Tom Green which the Giants quickly matched.
“But what we learned later was that SOS was just buying time with these disruption tactics which became clear when they orchestrated that live pick swap with Gold Coast.
“The Blues have gone from pick 9 to 11 after those academy bids. Then with the likes of (Dylan) Stephens gone, (Hayden) Young gone, Caleb Serong already gone – the Blues liked those players. They were then prepared to move further back in the draft.
“They sent 11 and 62 to the Suns for 17 and 22. The Suns are laughing given they liked on-ball prodigy Sam Flanders so they took him. Carlton then moved again with another live pick and they sent 22 and 55 to Port Adelaide and they got 20 back to move higher into the first round.
“The Blues were effectively able to turn that famous Liam Stocker trade from 12 months ago into three first round picks.”
Carlton still has picks 44, 70 and 81 left in the draft, with the remaining rounds to come on Thursday night.
