Tall order: The mosquito fleet formation that could make-or-break Carlton in post-Curnow era

There's no disputing the level of impact that has come with Charlie Curnow's exit from Carlton, with the two-time Coleman Medal winner leaving a significant void in Michael Voss' front-half plans.

While the Blues were busy with their own recruitment over the off-season, one area they didn't look to bolster was their key forward stocks for 2026.

Those ranks took a hit with Curnow's move to Sydney, while VFL spearhead Harry Lemmey was delisted after a strong year at the lower level, leaving Carlton with scarce options outside of now first-string tall forward Harry McKay.

Erasing Curnow's 313 career goals sees McKay move into the top spot with 274 majors from 140 career games, with the 2021 Coleman Medal winner now one of just five Blues with more than 100 goals to their name.

That quintet includes captain, and midfielder, Patrick Cripps (127 goals), while forward-turned-defender Mitch McGovern (120) rounds out the top five, with just 31 of his career goals coming since the end of 2019. 

The remaining two arrived at Princes Park this off-season, with Will Hayward bringing 229 goals from his 184 games with the Swans after swapping places with Curnow.

Ben Ainsworth has 137 goals to his name from 158 games, making him good for 0.87 goals per game.

Ainsworth isn't alone in going at under a goal per game among Carlton's forward group, with Jesse Motlop (59 goals from 63 games), Lachie Fogarty (36 from 90) and Francis Evans (35 from 44) falling under that mark.

Zac Williams (69 from 174) earns some leeway, having spent most of his career in the back half, while Brodie Kemp (14 from 49) is in a similar position.

Despite his infancy as a pure forward, Williams trailed only Curnow for goalkicking at Carlton in 2025, being the only small forward to manage more than 17 goals for the season.  

The goal rate from Carlton's attack is just one area the club has taken a hit with in Curnow's absence, with Voss also lacking true key forward options outside of McKay.

The Blues don't have access to another forward who stops the tape at 193cm or taller, with young ruckman Hudson O'Keeffe potentially required as a target in attack.

He could rotate with one of Liam Reidy and Marc Pittonet, who are yet to find form as secondary forward options.

The 202cm Lewis Young could be used if height becomes an issue, with the aforementioned 192cm Kemp being the Blues' tallest option outside of McKay.

Hayward, while a marking forward, stands at 187cm and might be relied upon as the club's second target next to McKay.

With McKay expected to earn greater attention from the opposition after splitting that load with Curnow, the value of the Blues' roaming forwards only rises in 2026.

The shape of Carlton's attacking options may insinuate a need for speed in the front half, with a mosquito fleet formation potentially a direction the Blues will take under Voss in the post-Curnow era.

All of Ainsworth, Motlop, Fogarty, Evans and Williams are likely to hold down ground-level roles in attack, while Young showed promise in his eight games after being recruited via this year's Mid-Season Draft and could break through.

Carlton will also have youngster Ashton Moir in mind, however the third-year forward will fall behind Hayward in the pecking order of medium-sized options. 

The Blues will eventually regain Kemp following his season-ending Achilles injury, with the 24-year-old to return to full training in the new year. 

Carlton's pure forward options for 2026