Carlton assistant coach Tim Clarke has spoken highly about a pair of youngsters at the club.
Second year midfielder Jack Carroll has impressed at Princes Park, with Clarke confident we will see the 19-year-old at AFL level in 2022.
Carroll was the 41st pick in the 2020 National Draft and impressed in patches in the VFL last year as a tall, athletic, left-footed midfielder.
“He’s been super impressive. He just slipped into last year’s draft. I think he was the youngest kid in the draft, he could very much be in his first year,” Clarke told SEN WA’s The Run Home.
“It’s been terrific how he’s approached pre-season in his second year.
“He got injured and missed a week, but he would’ve played last week against the Saints, he’s in terrific form, he’s complimenting the other players through the midfield and forward really well.
“He’s a player that will definitely play senior footy this year if his body is fine and he’ll be a good player to watch in the future.”
Clarke has been equally impressed by first-year forward Jesse Motlop.
The 27th pick in last year’s draft and the son of former North Melbourne player Daniel Motlop kicked two goals in the side’s VFL scratch match at the end of February.
“Jesse’s a ripper. He’s had a couple of injuries and that’s pushed him back a little bit in terms of the amount of training he’s been able to do, but he played on the weekend in our VFL game, kicked a couple of goals, laid a couple of tackles and was probably the excitement of the team,” he said.
“That’s what we’re looking forward to with him. Whether he plays senior footy early in the year, later in the year, whenever, we know we’re going to get a player that is really hungry to tackle and put pressure on, but then just brings excitement with ball in hand.
“We’re really excited by what he’s got to offer and looking forward to it. Hopefully his body can stay right. He’ll play again (on Thursday) in the VFL and hopefully he can keep rolling out those performances which will push his name up.”
Both Carroll and Motlop have been named in Carlton’s VFL squad for Thursday afternoon’s hit-out with the Casey Demons.