At what point do Carlton entertain a potential trade for captain Patrick Cripps, four-time premiership winner Jordan Lewis has questioned.

As traded stars Jack Steele and Christian Petracca shine at their respective new homes in 2026, Lewis has questioned what the Blues need to do with Cripps in a bid to improve their list before Tasmania enters the AFL competition.

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“I look at Carlton and the youth coming through and the opportunity. It’s a balancing act,” Lewis said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“What do you do with a player like Cripps?

“Is he going to be in your next premiership side?

“He’s a great player, his CV is up there with the greats of the game.

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“I think he’s still got a lot to offer. But if I’m looking at (Carlton footy boss) Chris Davies, if I’m looking at the coach, looking at Graham Wright (and) list management staff, you are employed by the club to make tough decisions to rejuvenate this list and get them to a point where they are competitive.

“I think there’s a serious question on whether they can trade Cripps out and get draft picks back in and it be a win-win for both clubs.

“In five years’ time, Cripps might be a one-club player and hasn’t played in a grand final or premiership success, then what have you achieved for the club?

Patrick Cripps looks dejected after the Good Friday loss to North Melbourne.Source: Getty Images

“List management has got a massive role to play in the player they get in and the character, competitiveness, all that.

“We’re sort of starting to see green shoots with North Melbourne, but it’s up to the list management for me at Carlton Football Club to make the tough decisions so that in three to four years’ time, the Carlton fans finally get to see its side competitive.”

Cripps has played 233 games for the Blues since arriving at the club as the No. 13 pick in the 2013 draft.

He’s won two Brownlow Medals, is a four-time All Australian, a five-time club best and fairest and a Leigh Matthews Trophy winner in 2019 – the same year Cripps began his time as club co-captain; a role he’s had solo since 2022.

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AFL great Nathan Buckley was a little more wary of a potential Cripps trade when speaking On the Couch.

“It’s a lot easier for us to sit on a couch and spitball on something when we’re not accountable to the decisions. Just saying it upfront,” he started.

“Melbourne, you’re saying they took a risk letting them (Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca) go, but they would have taken a risk keeping them.

“When you’ve got a side like Carlton at the moment that aren’t performing … how deep do you cut to be able to get access to better talent over the next couple of years with Tassie coming in in a couple of years’ time?

“You’ve got to consider that with their list build.

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“It’s going to be more difficult any time a new side comes into the competition, there’s a drain on talent.”

Buckley praised the work of St Kilda to go and recruit ready-made players ahead of Tasmania’s arrival in the AFL.

“St Kilda have taken a really proactive stance to try and bring extra talent in, gain a foothold before a new team comes into the competition. You’ve got to respect the way they’ve gone about it,” he said.

“Carlton and Essendon are probably the two that have been looking (to add talent) … Still got to get decisions right more often then not, but that’s the challenge for anyone.”

Patrick Cripps remains contracted at the Blues until the end of next season where he becomes an unrestricted free agent.