Dermott Brereton has identified the areas of improvement that will take Carlton to the next level.
The Blues have had a terrific start to the 2024 season and look set to take the leap in becoming a genuine premiership contender this year.
They’ve got stars on every line and a coach that has the full support of both players and board.
Throw in the incredible support they get from their fans and it’s a recipe that reeks of success in the coming years.
But are they destined to taste the ultimate success this year?
Brereton isn’t so sure and says the room for improvement starts in the midfield and the type of player they need alongside Patrick Cripps, Adam Cerra, George Hewitt and Sam Walsh when he’s back playing.
“I look at Carlton’s list and think ‘it’s not a complete build yet’,” Brereton explained on SEN’s Crunch Time.
“Port Adelaide showed us the devastating weapons you can have in the middle, who’s Carlton’s 'win the ball on the inside and tear away' player?
“It’s a different setup to the way that other teams are devastating in the middle, they are just brutal force in the middle and I reckon some time in the future, not that they grow on trees, to add a player like Patrick Dangerfield, Connor Rozee, Zak Butters and Jason Horne-Francis and I know they don’t come along every day but if it does, that is the only missing piece they would look at with tear away pace, Chris Judd-like.”
Moving on to their attacking prowess, Brereton believes at least one of Lachie Fogarty, Matt Owies, Jesse Motlop, Orazio Fantasia and Corey Durdin needs to become a premier small forward in the game.
“Their forward line is devastating, it’s awesome,” the Hawthorn great added.
“It would probably want for one of their small forwards to become an even better player, whose Carlton’s Kozzy Pickett?
“Once again, this is pie in the sky dreaming stuff but who is their Cyril Rioli? Not that they come along every day, but somebody who can make that difference.”
And finally their backline, is there enough key back support for Jacob Weitering?
Brereton isn’t sure.
“In the backline, I’d like to see Brodie Kemp rise to what we would hope and I’d like to see Caleb Marchbank continue on without injury so he can be that gun second string defender,” Brereton added.
“The GWS Giants have the best key back in it along with Jacob Weitering and Steven May but their two second string defenders are probably first string key backman in 14 other clubs, that’s how good they are served for that type of area.
“Carlton still have a few things to build.”
The Blues will play their Gather Round fixture on Saturday afternoon against Fremantle.