Jacob Weitering’s performance on Friday night was a big part of Carlton’s gritty win over Sydney, and the 24-year-old has come in for plenty of praise.
Weitering had the job on Swans superstar Lance Franklin for much of the contest and kept him to two goals, but numerous crucial one-on-one wins late in the game helped Carlton secure the 15-point win.
It’s a sign of just how far he’s come, turning from a maligned No.1 draft pick to a dominant pillar in the Blues’ rise up the ladder.
Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton struggled to find the words to describe Weitering’s impressive performance, raising the question of is he the best in his field.
“I cannot speak volumes to how good that young man is, sitting here (several years ago) when he was in his second or third year and we’re saying, ‘is he reaching his potential’? he told SEN’s Crunch Time.
“He always showed the signs, (but) is he now the premier key defender right now?”
In response, Port Adelaide veteran Kane Cornes detailed why Weitering is at the top of his class.
Cornes has criticised the positioning of Collingwood intercepters Darcy Moore and Jeremy Howe in recent weeks and says Weitering’s game style is a throwback to the past.
“He plays one on one, he’s a different type of defender,” Cornes stated.
“He is so comfortable at beating his player, he doesn’t need a third man over the top, if he needs to get it done one-on-one, he will.
“So is he the premier defender, I don’t know, but he’s the premier one-on-one defender, and there’s not many of them left and it’s annoying me.
“No one plays on anyone anymore, that’s why I love Jacob Weitering, in the last half they defended 37 entries to 16… a lot of them were clearly directed at ‘Buddy’ (Franklin) and he’s so comfortable in defending one on one.
“There’s a calmness about Weitering that he just knows where to position his body without giving the umpire any reason to pay a free kick, so his one-on-one work is an absolute work of art.”
Carlton coach Michael Voss also spoke glowingly about his key defender post-game.
“He was amazing. I'm not into sitting here and lauding individuals, we all take a really selfless approach with what we try to promote inside the four walls, but you've got to acknowledge when it's right in front of you. He was amazing. He looked so safe and sure and strong,” Voss said.
Friday night's win hands Carlton an 8-2 record and locks them into the top four for another week.