Keep, trade or axe: The Blues are in a hole. We examine their list to see how they can climb out

May 13, 2026 — 7:45pm

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

Carlton don’t have a coach, list manager or a national recruiting manager and just a decade after undergoing one of the most savage rebuilds the competition has seen, the Blues again face another overhaul of their list.

They are fielding teams with an age profile that should be in premiership contention, rather than sitting 16th. In Michael Voss’ last game as Carlton coach, the Blues ran onto the Gabba with more players who had played 100-plus games than the Lions, and only a marginally younger side. They had seven players aged 30 or over.

Football boss Chris Davies has the job of overseeing Carlton’s list management until they find a replacement for Nick Austin, who left the club on Tuesday.

Fate has dealt the Blues a cruel blow. The tightening of draft rules means their prized picks of Jagga Smith, Harry Dean and Cody Walker will have cost them six first-round selections. Tasmania’s arrival will dilute the pool.

Hinkley speaks on Carlton vacancy, as McRae makes big endorsement

Blues CEO Graham Wright said the club wants more selections in this year’s draft, the last uncompromised one before Tasmania’s entry, but how can they find their way out of the hole they’re in?

This masthead spoke to sources in list management across the AFL who discussed the Blues on condition of anonymity to talk about a rival side.

Which Blues have trade currency?

After losing Charlie Curnow, Tom De Koning and Jack........

© The Age