Coming into 2017 as some experts’ pick for the wooden spoon, Carlton have certainly exceeded expectations.
Three wins from the first 10 games include hard-fought wins over arch rivals Collingwood and Essendon, plus the disappointing Swans.
Most importantly for a rebuilding team and their fans, the Blues have a man with a plan. Carlton under Brendon Bolton are organised and well-structured, even if that comes at the expense of scoring where they rank last.
On-field, Caleb Marchbank, Sam Docherty and Lachie Plowman are forming a formidable young defensive unit, Bryce Gibbs, Marc Murphy and Matthew Kreuzer are having exceptional years, Patrick Cripps and Jacob Weitering remain on-track for superstardom and Sam Petrevski-Seton is as exciting a player as any to debut this year.
Despite this, there’s still a long way to go until the Blues have the depth of talent to compete with the top teams.
After clearing out half their list over the last few years, there’s still another 8-10 Mallthouse-era recruits and GWS offloads who wouldn’t make the rookie list of a premiership contender.
Nevertheless, the rebuild is on track and there is light at the end of the tunnel, even if it remains distant.
