Preview 2026 Opening Round - Carlton v Sydney Thursday March 5th 7:30pm @ SCG

[Aphrodite]

1st Team is in for 2026 - 7 New Blues …..

AFL team news: Seven Navy Blue chapters begin

Carlton has confirmed its team of 23 to take on Sydney in the season opener.

www.carltonfc.com.au

Included in the team are seven new Blues, with Jagga Smith and Harry Dean already confirmed to be making their AFL debuts.

Joining them will be Carlton’s five traded-in recruits from October last year: Ben Ainsworth

12

Ben Ainsworth

Age

28

Ht

178cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

8.1

3star

HB

6.1

4star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

D

12.8

3star

K

8.3

3star

HB

4.5

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.3

3star

G

1.0

4star

D

13.6

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

6.8

5star

M

3.8

4star

T

3.4

5star

G

0.6

3star

(Gold Coast), Campbell Chesser (West Coast), Ollie Florent and Will Hayward

19

Will Hayward

Age

27

Ht

186cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.6

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.8

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

9.0

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

D

9.4

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.4

5star

(Sydney) as well as Liam Reidy (Fremantle).

 

[Aphrodite]

oh ok thanks…Didnt read the text

I normally assume game is played at first name teams home ground/city…

Being our Board even if it’s an away game, Carlton always named 1st

 

[The Bighouse]

Don’t think anyone kicks 5 or 6 on JW.

Larkey…

 

[The Bighouse]

Mitch won't be dropped lol

Wasn’t selected end of last year. No certainty (hopefully).

 

[We may never win again]

Wasn’t selected end of last year. No certainty (hopefully).

Think that was more to do with his games trigger tbh

 

[Jimmae]

FB: McGovern Weitering Saad
HB: Williams Dean Florent
C: O.Hollands Walsh Chesser
HF: Smith Kemp E.Hollands
FF: Hayward McKay Ainsworth

R: Pittonet Cripps Hewett

INT: Fogarty, Derksen, Evans, Byrne/Moir, Acres

EMG: Young, Lord, Carroll/Boyd

Going out on a limb that Acres is right to go, specifically his arm.

I'm not sure we'd want to risk H in the centre square given the rule changes?

Agree, but I'd still play one ruck and manage them around that. Harry can relieve them within 60m of goal, Cripps in the middle, Derksen in defence.

 

[teddy-hopkins]

Curnow played again today. Looks to be moving well but only the 2 goals. 1 accidentally overhit pass and 1 joe the goose. 6 disposals from 75% game time.

Will be interesting to see how he goes next week. Our players are too nice to really give it to him but he did generally struggle under the pressure of finals so the more they give it to him the better.

Sad state of affairs when I'd rate Harry Dean our zero game draftee as the most aggressive player in our whole backline.

 

[Worm4]

FB: McGovern Weitering Saad
HB: Williams Dean Florent
C: O.Hollands Walsh Chesser
HF: Smith Kemp E.Hollands
FF: Hayward McKay Ainsworth

R: Pittonet Cripps Hewett

INT: Fogarty, Derksen, Evans, Byrne/Moir, Acres

EMG: Young, Lord, Carroll/Boyd

Going out on a limb that Acres is right to go, specifically his arm.

Agree, but I'd still play one ruck and manage them around that. Harry can relieve them within 60m of goal, Cripps in the middle, Derksen in defence.

Happy to leave Acres out until he displays the habit of lowering his eyes when moving the ball forward from the wing. If i see him long bomb from 100 metres out , it will make me throw the remote at the tv

 

[Red_man2008]

We have more than Charlie to worry about…..
Sure it will hurt if he gets a hold of us but Heeney, Grundy, Blakey, Warner, Gulden, Mills, Papley etc are vital for them!

While they’ll have Harry, Ainsworth, Hewett, Jagga, Walsh, Cripps, Hollands, Florent and Hayward to worry about. They have one flakey blues player against his old club. But we wi have two who are so ready to prove a point and an older one along for the ride.

 

[Red_man2008]

One of Charlie’s goals was a turn around kick from 65 and another was one out the back. Two selfish goals. I’m glad he’s playing elsewhere.

 

[BluStreak]

the suggestion of Ollie H running with Errol is fraught with danger, sure Ollie would keep up with Errol but I dont believe Ollie will be able to stick his tackles effectively to contain him. It is the one part of Ollies game that he has trouble with.

While the focus is on Curnow, there is a smart forward in Rosa up there as well as Heeney and Paps, we are going to need to be mindful of them all.

 

[Blue__Balls]

the suggestion of Ollie H running with Errol is fraught with danger, sure Ollie would keep up with Errol but I dont believe Ollie will be able to stick his tackles effectively to contain him. It is the one part of Ollies game that he has trouble with.

While the focus is on Curnow, there is a smart forward in Rosa up there as well as Heeney and Paps, we are going to need to be mindful of them all.

Think Chesser might be a better matchup, at least while Errol is holding width. In the guts I think we'll have Walshy go head to head with him.

 

[BluStreak]

I would also consider Lord

 

[Juddernaut08]

Curnow played again today. Looks to be moving well but only the 2 goals. 1 accidentally overhit pass and 1 joe the goose. 6 disposals from 75% game time.

Will be interesting to see how he goes next week. Our players are too nice to really give it to him but he did generally struggle under the pressure of finals so the more they give it to him the better.

Sad state of affairs when I'd rate Harry Dean our zero game draftee as the most aggressive player in our whole backline.

Hmmm I don't think his performance is indicative of anything really. The superstars are certainly preserving themselves for the real stuff, with plenty of people getting managed, put on ice and probably directed not to get into too much contact. Probably doing similar with McKay.

If he stays fit, Curnow is going to have a strong year. Midfielders with good skills and a forward system with other targets to keep defenders honest? He's going to feast.

 

[Beyond Blue]

He’ll go hell for leather next week, one thing we can be certain of is the best version of Charlie Curnow will rock up next Thursday. Don’t take much out of a practice match he’d just want to get through. He’s touched the ball twice and kicked two. If he can touch the ball 12 times next week he’ll kick 5 or 6 that’s what he does.

How many time has Charlie kicked 5 or 6 goals in a game? I would hardly say it’s something he is renowned for.

 

[katmanblue]

Not in our best team anymore. We need more run and carry from defence

Yes and no.

We do need the run and carry but we also need the steady defensive hand on the half back line.It's a balance.

Williams, for example, leaks like a sieve.

Newman's kicking out of d50 was a feature in 2024.

 

[The Bighouse]

Happy to leave Acres out until he displays the habit of lowering his eyes when moving the ball forward from the wing. If i see him long bomb from 100 metres out , it will make me throw the remote at the tv

Unfort the boundary line will not be his friend.
No need to rush him in without some game prep elsewhere. Reward others that are knocking on the door & are healthy..

 

[The Bighouse]

Yes and no.

We do need the run and carry but we also need the steady defensive hand on the half back line.It's a balance.

Williams, for example, leaks like a sieve.

Newman's kicking out of d50 was a feature in 2024.

ZW the defender scares me. A leaker like you say & goes to ground too often vs staying in the fight.

 

[Soapy V]

Unfort the boundary line will not be his friend.
No need to rush him in without some game prep elsewhere. Reward others that are knocking on the door & are healthy..

Are we starting to look at a side moving past names like Acres, Newman, Saad, Haynes etc? I am really hoping that Cowan Carroll Charleson Wilson Dean HOF and more move past them by end of the year.

With Cripps Weitering Hewett McKay Florent Hayward we have more than enough experience and leadership

IMO Carlton now is very much about the future

 

[luke livingston seagull]

How many time has Charlie kicked 5 or 6 goals in a game? I would hardly say it’s something he is renowned for.

The answer is 14. Which is less than I would have guessed. Interesting.

 

[NavySteel]

One of Charlie’s goals was a turn around kick from 65 and another was one out the back. Two selfish goals. I’m glad he’s playing elsewhere.

Six possies and zero tackles. 73 meters gained. It looks like his 2025 Carlton form is still alive and well. Reckon he'd rather be at Bondi!

 

[The Bighouse]

Are we starting to look at a side moving past names like Acres, Newman, Saad, Haynes etc? I am really hoping that Cowan Carroll Charleson Wilson Dean HOF and more move past them by end of the year.

With Cripps Weitering Hewett McKay Florent Hayward we have more than enough experience and leadership

IMO Carlton now is very much about the future

Think that is part of Vossy’s remit this season c/- GW. Bring on the youngsters, though it needs to warranted & there’s still a place for the experienced player in the team. If their form is bolstered by the competition for spots that can only be good for the team.

Just like to see players get opportunities vs slapping an injured player back or playing under apparent duress (who may not be in the greatest of form anyway e.g. Acres last season).

 

[AndyLucimitis]

Agree, but I'd still play one ruck and manage them around that. Harry can relieve them within 60m of goal, Cripps in the middle, Derksen in defence.

Interesting point in The Age today about the new centre ruck rule (now known as 'The Pittonet Rule' ).

Because of the risk of PCL injuries at centre bounces, clubs are going to be reluctant to pinch hit with keys forwards like Harry.

 

[Zlatan]

There couldn’t have been a tougher assignment than this game first up, especially at the SCG. Not expecting to win but just looking for the team to quickly cement its identity.

More interested in how we look in the next 3 games vs Richmond, Melbourne, North (2 of which we lost to last season).

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

If Cox allows Charlie to engage with Weitering, he is a fool

Charlie knows what he was doing wrong at Carlton (lack of running, multiple leads etc.)

I'm 100% certain Cox will tell Curnow to run Weitering ragged

Curnow just needs someone to run with him and keep him frustrated by spoiling, bumping etc

It won't be perfect but if we can hold him to 2-3 goals, it would be good result

If Weiters comes back, I'd be telling the defenders that if Charlie leaves the 50, Dean or Gov go with him. Body him, bump him every time he's drifting up the ground. Go for the hard spoil every time he tries to link up through the wings.
Would rather give away a few frees to him further up the ground while being overly physical and keep Weiters fresh for when he's back near goals.

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

Charlie 2 goals and 3 possessions. Not a great output

Edit: 89% ToG halfway through first, 75m gained. More of the same!!!

One of those goals was from about 65m. The other was a bin scab goal over the top from the goals square (say maybe 3m out). That means his other possession was a gain of around 7m.