Some birthday presents rock, some suck, and others just don’t quite hit the mark but you smile in gratitude anyway. In the case of Josh Kennedy, a late call-up for this weekend’s game against the Kangaroos coincided nicely with his 20th birthday – but after a promising start, the Blues were blown away. Throughout the game, Kennedy looked at home at this level, culminating in two shots at goal in the last – including a simple but strong mark and goal that wins this weeks’ Play of the Week.

Josh, in a game where it looked very hard for the Blues to score at times, your mark and goal in the last was as strong as it was simple. Were you happy with the mark? Were you confident going for goal?
I was happy with the mark, for sure – I haven’t had too many marks like that this year. I know it is something to improve on. I know where I’m at and where I want to be and the marking is something I’ve been working on.

For the goal – I wasn’t over confident, but goal-kicking is something that I’ve been working on for a while now.

And you almost followed it with another. Hitting the post from 1 metre out brings back memories of former Carlton big man Peter Jones! Tell us about that bit of play.
I grabbed the ball, Archer was running in to smother so I thought about whether to try to kick over him, or dribble it through…I chose the dribble, but missed anyway.

Percentage was critical for North. Did we just switch off in the last 10 minutes or did North change up a gear?
They scored a lot of their goals in red time in a number of quarters – it shows we weren’t switched on as much as we needed to. That’s what we have to concentrate on – it was very disappointing

It wasn’t a good birthday present for you …
Well, it was my first week coming back after my injury so it was great to get the call up. I had a call about 2 minutes before I left to get to the Bullants game – it was a nice touch.

Lappin hurt his back moving a pusher? What really happened, Josh? Did you knobble him?

• Laughs** He actually looked in a bit of pain when I saw him. I got the call up when he reported himself as hurt picking up the pusher – I think it was a real story!

Tell us about your year – you were brought in for 1 game as a Ruck and then we didn’t see you for a bit, then a 2 goal game, then a quad injury….
I was able to get consecutive games at the start of the year, but the form wasn’t too flash. I’d played the 8 games up-front, but lost my place. In the mid-season break I had a look at where I was at and spent some time with the Assistant Coaches on a few things at training – things that I needed to do better.

Mid-season you seemed to be played as Ruckin’ Josh, but on the weekend you were Forward Josh. What was that ruck role all about?
I wasn’t too sure about the role really, but once Cameron Cloke went down there was no one left to help Cain Ackland out. I think Denis looked around and saw that I was the next tallest out there, so he asked me about playing there. I had 4 to 5 games in the ruck mid-season, at both levels.

It’s a very different position, and I didn’t know what to expect. I went it hard at the centre bounces for the bounce but in those 1-on-1’s, those ruckmen are very strong, and I didn’t have the muscle strength to fill the role. I have got to get stronger in future.

Have you isolated what will make you a first team regular?
I really have to work on my fitness and my strength. We’re all going to have individual weight and strength programs this year, reflecting that we’re all at different levels in our development. As I said, I know where I’m at and I know where I want to be, so fitness and strength is what is needed.

That was the 10th youngest team in Carlton history on the weekend – in over 110 years that’s a pretty amazing stat….
I had a conversation with Ratts about that this morning actually – something like 3 of the youngest Carlton teams in history over the past 6 weeks. Carlton has been around a very long time so to be the 10th youngest team – we know we’ve got a good group of young guys, but we need to get to play well together.

Gibbsy’s tripping over the ball was one of the funniest things we’ve seen all year. What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen on a footy field?
Not too sure – I was right behind him and it was definitely funny. Lucky enough that Ryan Jackson was there to put it through….

The fans were rapt to hear that you’d signed up for another 2 years a while back. Was it a hard decision?
No, it was good to get it over and done with. I wanted to get it done part way through the year, to get it done & dusted. It’s really good to be here and have another 2 years at this Club, given where we are.

Perth may have a booming economy, fantastic weather and all that but compared to Melbourne, can you get a decent pizza?
Nah – fish & chips is good over there…

Speaking of opposition forwards, and looking at the solid North forwards kicking a few each, each week – do you look at some teams and see how successful we will be once we get it right?
Looking through the opposition forwards, there’s lots of different types. You look at Riewoldt and Brown and think through modelling your game on them. Those North forwards – Petrie and Brown – just have great hands, and having a midfield that hits them up time & time again doesn’t hurt…

The Bullants would have had their mad Monday yesterday. Any pangs of regret that you've missed out on that?
Not too sure, for the first time all of the Carlton players are going to do theirs together next week so that’s a good start.

How far have preparations gone for 2008? Do you know when your break will be, and will it be scheduled differently to previous years?
Yes, we’ll get a 6 week break and then come back mid to late October. It’ll be good to break it up a bit, and that’s a good break too.

Tell us about your knowledge of the Guernsey #5 – who was the last West Australian to wear that?
Oh…good question. Syd Jackson?

Close, but no cigar, Josh. The last West Australian was Steve Da Rui. To look up all wearers of Guernsey 5, including a few West Australians, click here

We normally finish these things up by giving the players a chance to take aim at someone around the Club. You’ve signed for 2 years, your form is good, so there’s no chance of being dropped – which Coach at the Club deserves a roasting?
A roasting?

Yes, someone who deserves a bagging – most players we ask just load up on Cloke and Jackson…
Yes, those 2 are a little too close, aren’t they? Well, for the Coaches, it would have to be Libba. He’s the one the players make fun of – when he’s explaining things we sometimes get stuck into him a little…


In amongst the losses, Blues fans should just sit back and look at this forming list. Look at the highlights from the 10th youngest Carlton team in history, from Birthday Boy Kennedy, to Murphy, to Gibbs, and on to Grigg, Hampson, Walker, Anderson, Bower, Jackson…the promise just goes on and on.