Dermott Brereton believes young Carlton forward Charlie Curnow has the ability to impact on all areas of the ground.
The five-time premiership winner says the 21-year-old has a “license to roam anywhere” on the field, rather than only playing close to goal as a traditional forward – similar to the play style of the Blues icon that Curnow has been most compared to, Anthony Koutoufides.
“15 to 20 years ago he would come in and you would say, he has to be assigned to one end of the ground. In this day and age, we look at him and say, you know what, you might be 6’3”-6’4”, but he has a license to roam anywhere,” Brereton told SEN Mornings with Kane Cornes.
“He is so good at covering the ground and he is so good overhead. There is a fair bit of Kouta about him.
“He has a stack to learn, but he has so many weapons at his disposal.”
The Hawks legend told SEN last year that he believes Curnow is set to become the best player in the game within the next two years.
Brereton says he sees plenty of himself and the way he played the game in the young Blues forward.
“His capabilities of covering the ground (are similar),” he said.
“He is much taller than I, but besides that, he plays a similar way.
“The number one attribute that he looks for was probably the way I went about it, and that was to mark the ball at its highest point by getting to that point by outrunning your opponent.”
The Blues take on reigning premiers Richmond in their traditional season opening clash at the MCG next Thursday.
Listen to Derm's chat with Andy Maher on SEN Afternoons below: