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Carlton will consider going into draft \u201cdeficit\u201d to snare gun father-son recruit Cody Walker, a potential top three pick this year, after expressing dissatisfaction with the AFL\u2019s timing for draft rules that make clubs pay a heftier price.<\/p>\n
Carlton chief executive Graham Wright<\/a> said the Blues did not know where Walker, the son of 200-game Blue Andrew Walker, would land in bids in this year\u2019s draft or where the Blues would finish this year, nor where the Swans would finish. The Blues hold their own and Sydney\u2019s first round picks, but could well need two higher picks, depending on where the bid lands and those clubs finish.<\/p>\n \u201cBut one we don\u2019t know where he\u2019s going to be, but where a bid might come for him,\u201d Wright said of Walker, who is viewed by rival clubs as a top five pick and potentially even top two.<\/p>\n \u201cBut secondly, we don\u2019t know where we\u2019re going to finish or Sydney. And we\u2019ve got their first round pick, but we\u2019ve also got two second round picks as well. But also those things are up in the air.<\/p>\n \u201cYou potentially could have to use more picks or go into deficit.\u201d<\/p>\n To go into draft deficit – which clubs have typically avoided early in the draft – would push the Blues further down the draft order with subsequent choices and even in the first round of the 2027 draft, depending on where the bid for Walker lands and which picks are sacrificed.<\/p>\n Under the soon-to-be revised rules, the AFL will make clubs use only two draft picks to pay for father-son and academy players, rather than a bunch of lower value picks. In practice, this means the Blues will likely need to use a pair of first round picks for Walker and if the bid is very high, they might need two higher choices (than they own) to snare the midfielder.<\/p>\n Asked about their willingness to go into draft deficit – and push back other picks – Wright said: \u201cI think you have to, depending on what circumstances you\u2019ve got.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the moment, we don\u2019t know exactly, and there are changes to free agency compensation and that might not affect us, but there\u2019s changes to those rules as well and we just haven\u2019t seen the full \u2026 list of rules.\u201d<\/p>\n Carlton, led by Wright and president Rob Priestley, have lobbied the AFL to have the mooted rule change postponed to give clubs such as the Blues more \u201crunway\u201d to organise their draft picks in advance for father son and\/or academy recruits. The Blues have Sydney\u2019s first pick this year from the Charlie Curnow trade, and have their first rounders in 2027 and 2028, albeit those drafts will be heavily impacted by the Tasmania Devils\u2019 entrance into the AFL.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe just felt, and we\u2019ve been really strong with the AFL on this, that we needed some kind of runway to say that will happen in \u201927 or 28 or 29 or whatever it is and people can prepare for it,\u201d Wright said \u201cBecause we haven\u2019t had the benefits of what others have had.\u201d<\/p>\n In an interview with this masthead last week<\/a>, before Carlton blew a 43\u2013point lead against the Demons<\/a> on Sunday, Wright said the Blues had a three-year list plan and would pay 100 per cent of the salary cap this year, but had significant room to pursue free agents or recruits from other clubs.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll pay 100 per cent this year, but\u2019ve got room. We\u2019ve got plenty of room.\u201d<\/p>\n Related Article Wright said the Blues were making sure they were positioned to bring in players from other clubs.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I say discipline around our cap, [that is] one, what we\u2019re prepared to pay, but then making sure we\u2019re in a good position to go forward and under free agency or the trade market, or whatever it might be going into the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Priestley said they wanted to contend consistently.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to be a club that doesn\u2019t go through these cycles and move towards where we are consistently contending, consistently around the hoop…that\u2019s where you\u2019ve got to get yourself to eventually. So one is having that list flexibility and list depth that Graham\u2019s very good at.\u201d<\/p>\n Priestley said there had been change across every facet of football operations at Carlton.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you think about what we\u2019ve done, you know, tech data, AI, high performance, which we changed the year before.. Graham was involved in as deputy CEO, leadership and culture with Travis Boak coming in, coaching advisory, different coaches, changing the list up a bit, bringing more younger talent in to complement the rest…there\u2019s sort of change and focus across every area to try and build what we\u2019re trying to do, which is a club that consistently contending.\u201d<\/p>\n Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Prospective](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/767140af31efedfadd04f238b4e77ae8c720ab32.jpeg\")
Prospective Carlton recruit Cody Walker (centre) training at the club.Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Cody](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/56eb398d3e77404170683f73ff321e09a3af2c8d.jpeg\")
Cody Walker\u2019s dad, Andrew, was a high-flyer for the Blues. Paul Rovere<\/p>\n![\"Carlton](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/8f1d0f39a61a9a2c0d1eb30eec226490d8e683cf.jpeg\")
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