Andy Maher and Josh Jenkins have reacted in shock to the news Carlton has delisted Liam Stocker.
The Blues confirmed on Monday afternoon that Stocker and mid-season draftee Will Hayes will both not be offered new contracts for 2023.
The call will come as a surprise to many given Stocker was a first-round pick in 2018 and has endured an injury-interrupted start to his AFL career, managing just 28 games across four seasons.
Thank you, Stock and Hayesy.
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) September 5, 2022
Former Blues list manager Stephen Silvagni traded up in that draft to secure Stocker with Pick 19, but the club has now seen enough to delist the 22-year-old.
Maher was on air on SEN’s The Run Home when the news dropped and couldn’t hide his surprise.
“Liam Stocker has been delisted. This is the player Carlton traded into (the 2018 draft) by (former list manager) Stephen Silvagni to get to the footy club,” he said.
“He’s played 28 games in four years, was among their very best on the weekend… in fact, he’s had a really good finals campaign in the VFL.
“There are question marks around what sort of player he’s going to be. I’ve met Liam a couple of times and he strikes me as being a kid of the highest character.
“I am stunned, I am genuinely stunned.”
Stocker has gathered 25 touches in his last two VFL outings and has been consistently among the side’s best when he’s played in the reserves this year.
Geelong assistant coach Jenkins expressed a similar sentiment to Maher’s.
“I saw him earlier in the year at different stages and to me, he looks an excellent system (defender) and medium-sized defender,” he stated.
“That’s a very, very big surprise considering the capital that's been invested in him as well, that’s the other element.
“If you think he can’t play, he can’t play. But when you’ve given up a fair bit to go and get him, typically those guys get more of a chance than a shorter leash.”
Maher also added: “I’ll say this, (Carlton list manager) Nick Austin… he’s very good at what he does. So you invest your faith in those at the footy club.”
Former Carlton forward Matthew Lappin, who played 196 games for the Blues, was one of many who took to Twitter to share his reaction.
@CarltonFC #Stocker
— Matthew Lappin (@skinnylappin) September 5, 2022
He’s a clone of Voss the Boss pic.twitter.com/iR2NBRXruy
The Blues did not mention the possibility of signing Stocker as a rookie in their statement.
Mid-season draftee Will Hayes was the other delisting after managing two games this season.