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The sign of a good side (which we aren't) is that it can generally afford to cut kids who have been around a couple of years, but the club knows won't make it. We haven't really done this for some time and the side has been forced to carry players not up to senior level.
The good sides can often afford to keep senior players who aren't necessarily in the best 22, but are effective enough to play when injury/form gives them opportunities in the senior team - look at Geelong with Steven King (last year), David Johnson, Kane Tenace, Brent Prismall, Tom Lonergan etc. Not playing regular senior footy, but are kept on the list for "depth". All are capable at senior level and that is enough for them to stay.
Guys like Wiggins and Blackwell are good enough to play senior AFL footy. They are not perfect players, but would be capable senior footballers at a lot of clubs. I would like Blackwell, in particular, to stay after this year, but I suspect he won't.
Carlton has persisted with it's kids over the past few years longer than other clubs, because it has always had so much "dead wood" on the list to cut. Drafting is an inexact science, but at least one in two draftees don't make it. Despite this we gave Raso three years without a senior game, Edwards is on his third, Aisake his third (or fourth?) and Russell his fifth. That is not to bag these players as being undeserving on the list, but other clubs don't necessarily have this patience. None of these players have convinced that they are capable of long-term senior footy yet - certainly no more than Wiggins or Blackwell or even Saddington (who appears to be "dead man walking") for that matter.
When Carlton can afford to keep "fringe" players and choose to cut kids who aren't up to it, we are ready to improve. I am not critical of the club, as I think that they have had no choice, but I'd like to see some guys kept for depth. Arguably, Bannister fitted that criteria last year.
In terms of cutting at year's end, it is very early to judge, but "on the block" would be any 6 or so of:
Ackland (crowd favourite)
Blackwell (needs to play senior footy when he gets fit again)
Anderson (pretty unlikely to go, but possible)
Austin (can't be a project forever - He's really young and I hope he stays)
Bannister (reasonable start to the year, history shows inconsistency)
Benjamin (might be a long way from senior footy - interesting to watch)
Bentick (probably gone - great heart, but too slow and can't kick)
Cloke (if he has shoulder problems again, though I've loved his effort)
Edwards (depending on improvement - will probably stay)
Hartlett (I like him and want him to stay and play in the ones)
Jackson (depth in midfield may cost him if he can't find a role)
Aisake (project - if he's not playing senior footy, probably should be cut)
Setanta (unlikely, but he's 25 and I wonder how much better he will get)
Russell (prefer to persist with him, but he needs to improve rapidly)
Saddington (gone)
That's a lot of guys. There is also the possibility of trades of other players on the list, and this might save a few necks.
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