PRELIMINARY finalist Carlton has made some big moves to try and last an extra week next season, bringing in a trio of experienced players to complement a first round selection in this year’s AFLW Draft. While it came at the cost of picks in next year’s draft, the Blues are in “win-now” mode and will prepare to be thereabouts at the pointy end of next season.

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2025 RECORD: 5th (H&A) | 8-4 | 116.9% | Eliminated: Preliminary Finals
2025 PICKS: 16, 34, 52, 66, 70, 88
FUTURE PICKS: ’26 R2 (Carlton), ’26 R5 (West Coast), ’26 R5 (North Melbourne)

LIST CHANGES

IN
Lauren Bella (trade, Gold Coast), Claudia Whitfort (trade, Gold Coast), Brooke Boileau (trade, Adelaide)

OUT
Tarni Brown (retired), Eliza Wood (delisted), Charlotte Brewer (delisted free agent, Collingwood), Kerryn Peterson (delisted), Keeley Skepper (trade, West Coast), Maddison Torpey (trade, North Melbourne), Mia Austin (trade, Melbourne)

Adding some key midfield pieces in Claudia Whitfort and Brooke Boileau immediately provides relief and incredible depth to a fairly strong midfield as it is. With Lauren Bella also coming in, the Blues have a straight up ruck if they opt for Breann Harrington to spend more time forward, They traded out the likes of Keeley Skepper and Maddison Torpey for next to nothing, while Mia Austin also moved on to the Dees.

FIRST PICK:
Pick 16

Carlton is in a good spot where the Blues can just see what falls and where it all lays near the end of the first round. The Blues are not crying out for anything too desperately, so can play a straight bat and select on ability. Though unlikely to be there, West Australian Bluebagger Mia Russo would fit the explosive ball-winners the club loves to pick, while fellow speedster Jordyn Allen and all-round local talent Marlo Graham are thereabouts.

Allen has the flexibility to play across multiple lines, while Graham has been a consistent midfielder-forward with nice skills and great smarts. Either would complement the rising stars from last year in Sophie McKay and Poppy Scholz, while could the Blues place a bid on Sydney Swans Academy member Kiera Yerbury to throw a spanner in the works? The class of Sophie Eaton would be another good call here.

REMAINING CROP:
Picks 34, 52, 66

Last year the Blues were not afraid to pick up a Glenelg teenager in Scholz, and their second pick could be around the range for the dynamic and outgoing Eloise Mackereth. She provides a similar presence to Austin in the air, and has elite athletic traits that would excite fans. It is in the hitting zone for a lot of South Australians, with Lucy Waye and Monique Bessen a couple of smart options in that area.

The Blues have favoured X-factor types with upside through the draft, so Asher Fearn-Wannan is one who provides that off a wing or half-back, while would the “win-now” mentality see Carlton snap up Collingwood VFLW midfielder Tahlia Sanger as a readymade option with one of the later selections.

Carlton could keep its options open by passing with the final pick and heading to the preseason draft, though athletic pair Ella Jeffrey and Maya Louvel-Finn, the latter of whom is a Carlton fan in the men’s as well, would be a great shout and fit what the Blues are building.

KEY QUESTIONS:

– Do the Blues look to a local prospect at the first pick?
– With a high portion of draft prospects Carlton fans, will they bring home childhood Baggers?
– Will Carlton pass to head to the preseason draft given their “win-now” mentality and look for a mature-ager?