Bronx Bomber
Club Legend
It's still only January but already Carlton's recent father/son draft selection Luke Blackwell has made quite an impression.
The teenage son of Wayne Blackwell - a member of the Blues' 1986 grand final side - has been one of the stand-outs during pre-season training at Optus Oval and looks sure to the focus of much attention when the Blues become the first club to play an intra-club game this season on Tuesday.
The Blues will play two 20 minute halves during their community camp at Shepparton in north-east Victoria with Blackwell certain to play alongside a host of other newcomers at Carlton.
Carlton has already enjoyed one low-key 20 minute hit-out of match practice and Blackwell could hardly have made a bigger impression - picking up the most possessions during that short match.
Blues' coach Denis Pagan admitted he has been pleased with the progress made by the club's draftees during the pre-season.
"It was impressive last week (during the 20 minute hit-out) to see people like Luke Blackwell and (top 2004 draft pick) Jordan Russell, who have been sensational in training, then go on and perform well and then Chris Bryan also impressed with his ruck work," Pagan said.
"They are a couple guys who we drafted, who are we are really pleased with."
Such is the interest in the Blues' trip to Shepparton next week - as part of the AFL's community camp week where all 16 clubs will travel to various parts of Australia - that the club has even fielded requests from keen locals asking if they can pre-book tickets for the club's intra-club hit-out.
Pagan said most of the Blues' players will be on show in the intra-club match with the only unlikely starters being Brad Fisher, who is still recovering from a knee re-construction, former Docker Troy Longmuir who has been battling groin soreness and Adrian Deluca, who is recovering from a foot fracture.
The teenage son of Wayne Blackwell - a member of the Blues' 1986 grand final side - has been one of the stand-outs during pre-season training at Optus Oval and looks sure to the focus of much attention when the Blues become the first club to play an intra-club game this season on Tuesday.
The Blues will play two 20 minute halves during their community camp at Shepparton in north-east Victoria with Blackwell certain to play alongside a host of other newcomers at Carlton.
Carlton has already enjoyed one low-key 20 minute hit-out of match practice and Blackwell could hardly have made a bigger impression - picking up the most possessions during that short match.
Blues' coach Denis Pagan admitted he has been pleased with the progress made by the club's draftees during the pre-season.
"It was impressive last week (during the 20 minute hit-out) to see people like Luke Blackwell and (top 2004 draft pick) Jordan Russell, who have been sensational in training, then go on and perform well and then Chris Bryan also impressed with his ruck work," Pagan said.
"They are a couple guys who we drafted, who are we are really pleased with."
Such is the interest in the Blues' trip to Shepparton next week - as part of the AFL's community camp week where all 16 clubs will travel to various parts of Australia - that the club has even fielded requests from keen locals asking if they can pre-book tickets for the club's intra-club hit-out.
Pagan said most of the Blues' players will be on show in the intra-club match with the only unlikely starters being Brad Fisher, who is still recovering from a knee re-construction, former Docker Troy Longmuir who has been battling groin soreness and Adrian Deluca, who is recovering from a foot fracture.
