SEN Chief reporter Sam Edmund has caught wind of a Carlton rookie who lit it up in the Blues' intra-club.
Carlton underwent some match practice on Friday morning, Edmund hearing reports of numerous players impressing.
“I got a message from my spy down there at the Blues who told me Sam Walsh and Patrick Cripps are doing as they please down there, Lochie O’Brien has kicked a nice goal, there’s an emphasis on handball chains rather than just blasting the ball forward,” Edmund told SEN Mornings
“George Hewett is on-ball and going okay, Will Hayes - who signed with the VFL side – is getting a fair bit of it.”
However, it was Edmund’s next name, a relative unknown in AFL circles, who is set to draw attention.
“This particular person has now sent me two messages on another individual, they might have found one down there,” Edmund continued.
“Jordan Boyd is going very well at half-back for the Blues.
“So Boyd, a bit of a unique path to the here and now, out of Spotswood, out of Footscray VFL, I think he only played two games of rep football in his life, he was overlooked right through the elite talent pathway.
“But he’s never given up on the AFL dream and he’s found his way to the Blues via last season’s mid-season rookie draft.
“That’s when he was picked up for the Blues, and he’s catching some attention down there playing at half-back.
“For what it’s worth, in an intra-club of course, but he’s getting plenty of the pill and I’m told he’s very impressive.”
Boyd was selected with pick 20 in the 2021 mid-season draft and has been deployed in defence by the Blues.
He suffered a hamstring injury upon joining the Blues and missed the rest of the season.
Carlton’s first practice match against an AFL team comes against St Kilda on February 24.