Three Blues weighing up future with one now tipped to leave

Three Carlton forwards are weighing up their futures as their contracts near an end at the end of 2024.

One player who AFL Media’s Riley Beveridge expects to depart IKON Park is 149-gamer Jack Martin, who joined Carlton in 2020 following six seasons at Gold Coast.

The talented forward kicked 17 goals from 13 games in 2023 and played a big part in the club’s finals campaign but has only played once in 2024 due to injury. He has now played multiple games in the VFL without a senior recall.

Beveridge says that Fremantle is interested in the West Australian who now looks more likely to leave the club than stay put as he turns 30 before the start of next season.

“As (rivals are circling) around Jack Martin, who I think now will leave at the end of the season,” Beveridge said on AFL.com.au's Gettable.

“He hasn’t been able to crack the side since coming back from his latest injury setback.

“He’s only played one game for the year because he’s had so many injury issues throughout his time at the Blues.

“We mentioned that Freo were keen on him a couple of weeks ago, I don’t know exactly if he goes to Freo, but I think now he leaves Carlton at the end of the year.”

Another Blue that’s being circled by rival clubs is Matt Owies, who is enjoying a career-best campaign in 2024 with 27 goals from 19 games.

Owies is yet to be tabled a deal by the Blues and as a result, rival clubs are pushing to lure him away from Carlton.

“Matt Owies is another one we’ve spoken about so often,” Beveridge said.

“He’s having a career-best year at Carlton, he’s still out of contract and still doesn’t have a deal on the table (from the Blues).

“You can see why rival clubs would be going for Matt Owies and they’re circling him pretty significantly.”

Like Martin, another Blue who is weighing up a move home to WA is Jack Carroll.

Carroll has played 13 times in 2024 and was most recently the sub in the club’s Round 20 loss to Port Adelaide and AFL Media’s Cal Twomey says he has interest from clubs in his home state.

“Jack Carroll is also weighing things up,” Twomey said.

“He has interest from West Australia and he is out of contract at the moment.”

The 2024 AFL Trade Period will run from October 7 to 16. The free agency window opens on October 4 and closes on October 11.