Carlton · 6 notes
Who replaces Lachie Whitfield in GWS's defence is open. Adam Kingsley named James Leake, Harry Oliver and particularly Oskar Taylor: "one of those boys particularly will stand up, and I'm not sure who it'll be yet." Players return for pre-season in early November.
Landing Lachie Whitfield was Carlton's priority, football boss Chris Davies said, but the club "will want to bring in another ruck" after losing a couple of young rucks, through free agency or the draft. He chose big list changes over "a bit of hoping": "take the punt."
Lachie Whitfield, Jayden Short and Dan Houston came up, but St Kilda didn't pivot after missing halfback Nick Blakey, Lenny Hayes said. He rates Jack Sinclair, out for the back half of the year with a serious calf injury, "the second greatest small defender in the competition".
Toby Greene took up free agency and Lachie Whitfield went to Carlton for no first-rounder, which GWS's Jason McCartney called "the best deal that's been done with a 32-year-old or plus player." Giants hold picks 9, 20, 26 and 59: "we needed more assets in this year's draft."
"It's the biggest club in the land... I thought it was a no-brainer in the end." Lachie Whitfield on leaving the Giants for Carlton: the crowds, the MCG, last year's finals run and Josh Fraser's fast, free-flowing game plan. He spoke to Patrick Cripps and Sam Walsh first.
"If he did want to go, we'd be in the market, absolutely." Carlton's Chris Davies on Lachie Whitfield, who'd add "more run" from halfback. Neither Whitfield nor GWS is 100% sure; it needs sorting in 10 days. On a first-round pick: "we haven't got to that point yet."