Comment on Frustration between Charlie Curnow and Carlton fans boils over by Carlton Man
Austin from Carlton has let the cat out of the bag. We can see from this age article Carlton are serious about ejecting those who do not play for the club. Curnow disgraced himself in 2025. Expect a different Carlton in 2026.
Carlton told us they wanted more elite young talent, plan to be faster and bolder and expect different results with the same approach would not work. The evolving Blues also slipped in the following, thinly veiled line.
“We want players who want to, and appreciate what it means to, represent the Carlton Football Club,” Austin said.
Joining Curnow elsewhere next year are Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni – who both accepted above-market free agency deals to join cash-splashing St Kilda – and Corey Durdin, who the Blues traded to Port Adelaide.
Carlton’s other recruits, beyond Hayward and all those draft picks, are Ben Ainsworth (Gold Coast), Campbell Chesser (West Coast), Ollie Florent (Sydney) and Liam Reidy (Fremantle).
Three of the four were originally first-round draftees, while ruckman Reidy was stuck behind Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy, but showed promise in the WAFL and in limited AFL appearances.