Former Fremantle coach Ross Lyon thinks Carlton should target young Dockers midfielder Adam Cerra.
Cerra, 21, is out of contract at the end of this season and has been continuously linked to a move home to Victorian club.
The former top-five draft pick has an offer in front of him from Fremantle, but his reluctance to commit to the Dockers has many believing he’ll play in Melbourne next year.
Lyon coached Cerra for his first two years at AFL level and believes he has what it takes to be a star of the future.
“He's an incredible kid,” Lyon said on Triple M.
“He (Cerra) was an absolute pro, him and Andy Brayshaw - if you’re talking about applying yourself, you couldn’t have asked (for more) - I think they were pick two and five.
“He’s dedicated, trains hard, and he just wants to be a great player.
“For me, just seeing how close he is to his parents and his family, that there could always be a desire (to) pull home.”
Lyon says he would take Cerra over WA-born Blues Zac Fisher and Sam Petrevski-Seton, believing they could be sent in a package to secure the young Docker.
“If Carlton could get him (he'd be great),” Lyon added.
“Who’s a likely one to go home? Sam Petrevski-Seton or Zac Fisher – I’d take Adam Cerra over them, that’s just my personal view.
“This is no slight on those blokes (Petrevski-Seton and Fisher), but I know him (Cerra) intimately.
“I would take him every day of the week because he’s a bona fide mid, and the other two aren’t.”
Herald Sun reporter Jay Clark told Lyon that he’s heard talk that Carlton will look to shed three young midfielders this off-season with the potential to bring Cerra in.
“You have a look at Lochie O’Brien, Sam Petrevski-Seton and Paddy Dow go out, and Adam Cerra come in,” Clark said on Triple M.
“That’s starting to be some of the talk around the recruiters and list managers.”
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