2026 Reserves

Reserves Season 2026
Coach: Damian Truslove
Co-Captains: Rotational basis.
Best & Fairest: Lachie Fogarty
Position:
Premier:

Note: The Carlton Reserves will also implement a rotating captain, with an AFL‑listed player stepping into the role each week, supported by the VFL leadership group of Darcy Tucker, Ethan Phillips, Jack Sammartino, Logan Prout, Will Cookson and Cooper Vickery.

Carlton's 2026 Reserves Team Squad.

50. Darcy Tucker
With over 150 games of AFL experience, Darcy Tucker signed for the VFL Blues after a decade in the AFL with Fremantle and later North Melbourne. Making his AFL debut back in 2016 (incidentally, against Carlton), Tucker forged a reputation as a hard-running player capable of playing a number of roles for the team.

51. Jaiden Magor
Jaiden Magor spent two seasons on the Sydney Swans’ list where he played 36 VFL games across two seasons. Spending his 2025 season with South Adelaide in the SANFL, Magor - who was coached by Damian Truslove at Sydney - gives the Blues options in all areas of the ground

53. Ollie Badr
Badr is a versatile youngster who has played 10 games across his first two seasons in Navy Blue, kicking multiple goals in three of his first four VFL games in 2025. He’s a familiar face at IKON Park, with the former Oakleigh Charger a close childhood friend of AFL-listed pair Cooper Lord and Jagga Smith.

54. Jack O’Sullivan
Jack O’Sullivan went from Uni Blues to the Navy Blues as a new signing for the 2026 campaign. Featuring for the Carlton Reserves in pre-season, O’Sullivan - the brother of North Melbourne’s Finn and second cousin of Carlton gun Sam Walsh - brings extra physicality to the Blues’ VFL line-up.

55. Ethan Phillips
Ethan Phillips will remain in the Navy Blue in 2026, re-signing with the VFL Blues after a season where the experienced key defender truly excelled. Phillips - who was crowned the Carlton Reserves’ VFL Best and Fairest - played every game in 2025, ranking No.1 in the VFL for intercepts and marks in 2025.

56. Flynn Riley
Flynn Riley was hard to miss in 2025, with the big ruckman showcasing big improvement after making his debut in Round 1 of the VFL season. Playing seven of the last eight games of the year, Riley - who win the team’s Coaches Award in 2025 - turned heads as a ruckman with a competitive streak at ground level.

57. Alwyn Davey
Alwyn Davey Junior has elite level experience for Essendon, following in the footsteps of his dad - and namesake - Alwyn by playing 20 games in the red and black in the AFL, kicking nine goals. Capable of playing at both ends of the ground, Davey kicked 13 goals from 12 VFL games to start the 2025 season, and he’s likely to feature as a forward for the VFL Blues.

58. Jack Sammartino
Jack Sammartino crossed to the Carlton Reserves from Box Hill, where he played six games in 2025 - including his debut game was against the Blues in Round 1. He featured for Banyule at local level last season, being coached by Damian Truslove, who he now links up with at the Blues.

59. Cooper Vickery
A player who performed a pivotal role for the Carlton Reserves in 2025 was Cooper Vickery, who has put pen to paper for another season. Vickery played in every game for the Blues last year and impressed with his run and precision foot skills. He’ll reunite with new VFL Senior Coach Damian Truslove in 2026, who coached Vickery for Sydney’s VFL side.

60. Will Reinhold
Will Reinhold returns to the VFL competition in 2026, with the new Blue arriving from Temora after a previous stint at Port Melbourne. With two Farrer Football League best and fairest medals under his belt, the strong midfielder played 11 games for the Borough in 2022.

61. Dane Harvey
One of the first players re-signed for 2026, Dane Harvey had a career-best season last year. Formerly of Fitzroy in the VAFA, Harvey played 10 games in 2025, impressing with his ability to play at both ends. Playing the opening games of the season as a key defender, Harvey returned to the forward line to finish the year.

62. Ollie Warburton
Ollie Warburton enjoyed a memorable Carlton debut in Round 14, 2025 with a win over Port Melbourne. Warburton comes from a long line of Blues, with his great-grandfather Keith and grandfather Peter representing the Blues at senior level, while dad Brett played nine games for the Blues’ reserves side in 1996.

63. Ryder Corrigan
Considered one of the unluckier prospects to not get drafted, Ryder Corrigan joins the Blues from Lavington where he played with Harry Dean. Averaging over 20 disposals for the Murray Bushrangers, Corrigan - who was an All Australian at under 16 level - is a powerful midfielder also capable of playing half-back and half-forward.

64. Archie Stevens
Archie Stevens returns for another season with the VFL Blues, which will mark his fifth consecutive for the Carlton Reserves. Debuting in 2022, Stevens has played a number of roles across his 37 VFL games, earning a reputation as a great teammate and clubman. He featured 10 times for the Blues in 2025.

65. Jed Rule
Joining the Carlton Reserves in 2026 is another former VFL Hawk in Jed Rule, who featured for Box Hill in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Kicking four goals on debut back in Round 1, 2023, Rule produced 11 goals in eight games in the state league competition, and featured on the wing in pre-season for the VFL Blues.

66. Sam Paea
The VFL premiership player returns to IKON Park after impressing in the final month for the Blues. Featuring in Werribee’s 2023 Grand Final and 2024 flag as a forward, Paea returned to local football for Aberfeldie in 2025, before being trialled by Carlton as a key defender in the season’s final weeks.

67. Tom Evans
Another Echuca product featuring for the Blues in 2026, Tom Evans has starred for the Bendigo Pioneers for a number of years at local level. Averaging just shy of 30 disposals a game in the Coates Talent League last year, Evans is one of a number youthful recruits for the Carlton Reserves in 2026.

68. Taj Logan
Taj Logan returns to IKON Park for his second season in the Navy Blue, after the former Northern Knight also made his VFL debut in 2025. Combining his time at Carlton with Diamond Creek in the Northern Football League, Logan was crowned the Division 2 League Best and Fairest last year.

69. Cooper Hamilton
The former GWS Giant (and social media mogul) broke through for a late-season VFL debut for the Reserves in 2025. The popular Hamilton arrived at the Blues from the Giants 12 months ago, with the 22-year-old - who plays his football on the wing - enjoying his first full pre-season in three years ahead of the 2026 campaign.

70. Darcy Hogg
The runner-up in the Club’s 2025 Best and Fairest award went from strength to strength last year, in a year where he was also named the Blues’ Best Young Player. It was well and truly a breakout for Hogg, who played six games in the two campaigns prior to featuring in every match for the VFL Blues in 2025 as a high half-forward.

71. Cohen Paul
Persistence paid off for Cohen Paul, who was signed to Carlton’s VFL list for 2026 after a season as a train-on player. Playing his football for Euroa in 2025, the key position prospect previously featured for the Murray Bushrangers and plays his best football as a tall defender.

72. Charlie Cotter
A new recruit at IKON Park after a stint at Uni Blues, Charlie Cotter came through the ranks at Claremont in the WAFL Colts. Featuring in a premiership for the side in 2024, Cotter is a speedy small forward that provides plenty of energy in the front half and is capable of hitting the scoreboard.

74. Logan Prout
A virtual new recruit for the Blues, Logan Prout established himself as an important member of the Blues’ defensive setup after being signed from Echuca prior to the 2023 campaign. The defender was named in the Blues’ Round 1 team in 2025 before sustaining an unfortunate ACL injury, but will return to Carlton’s VFL side for 2026.

75. Liam Farrar
A young player from the Northern Knights, Liam Farrar is very familiar with IKON Park as a former student at the Carlton College of Sport. Having the capacity to play as a third tall forward or back, Farrar featured for the Blues in pre-season and backs himself in the air with his contested marking.

76. Harrison Wilson
Another former Lavington product, Harrison Wilson played for the Allies in 2025 as well as the Murray Bushrangers. A medium defender that stands at 190 centimetres, Wilson is strong overhead and quick at ground level, often backing in his skillset to hit targets coming out of the back half.

77. Will Cookson
Will Cookson made an immediate impression upon arriving at IKON Park. An in-and-under midfielder from Hurstbridge, Cookson featured regularly for the VFL Blues in pre-season. Linking up with Mulwala as his local club in 2026, Cookson has made the last two Northern Football League Team of the Years.

78. Tyson Gresham
Tyson Gresham is well-known at IKON Park, with the former Northern Knight a member of the Carlton Academy. Coming through the ranks with Harry Dean and Jack Ison, Gresham is a small forward with leadership capabilities, co-captaining the Knights in 2025 to go with Vic Metro commitments. He is the brother of Essendon forward, Jade.

Practice Match 1, 2026.

Truslove wraps up narrow win.

The inside word on the Carlton Reserves' opening practice match of 2026. - By Cristian Filippo, Carlton Media.
The Carlton Reserves kicked off their preparations for the 2026 season with a one-goal win over Coburg at IKON Park. In a game which saw plenty of rotations and limited game time for a few, the Blues led at every change and held on late in the 7.14 (56) to 7.8 (50) win. There was plenty of good news for Carlton supporters, with Nic Newman playing the first half and emerging unscathed in what was his first game of any kind for 529 days. The veteran defender was also joined by Francis Evans, who played a combination of midfield and forward and sported his protective eyewear after an incident in training last month. There were individual goalkickers across the board for the Blues, including a classy left-footed snap from draftee Jack Ison in the second term, while former AFL-listed recruits Darcy Tucker and Alwyn Davey Junior also hit the scoreboard early in the game. See VFL Senior Coach Damian Truslove’s thoughts on the game below.

On how the first hitout panned out:
“It was the first time our VFL-listed boys have played in a game, having only had training, as well as gelling with the seven AFL-listed boys. The first three quarters saw us pretty dominant in field position, our contest work was really strong and some of our ball movement - which we’ve been working on over the summer - was impressive. “The last quarter, we took a few players off and the boys got a bit fatigued with limited rotations: to Coburg’s credit, they fought back, but we managed to hang on by a goal in the dying minutes.”

On Nic Newman playing the first half:
“He went really well. The plan was for him to get through and get back playing football again. He was instrumental in setting the backline up, his leadership was outstanding and he used the ball really well by foot as he always has done. “It was good to see him moving well. When I went to him at half time, he had a massive smile on his face: he got through and felt good, he’ll keep building his minutes from here.”

On Francis Evans’ performance:
“Frankie played well, he played a bit of a different role. He played two quarters in the midfield, plus one quarter in his typical place up forward. He moved really well and his intensity and patterns around the ground were excellent. “He’ll be knocking on the door: he got into some good contested situations which he needed to tick, which he did really well.”

On draftee Jack Ison’s showing:
“Jack played multiple roles, he was close to goal and also higher up the ground. He’s learning his craft, he’s getting better all the time: he’s very diligent with his education and his craft work. “He’ll continue to improve, he’s very powerful and exciting around goals, which we saw with a nice finish in the second quarter.”

On the remaining AFL-listed talent:
“Lucas Camporeale played a bit of a different role, spending half his time on the wing and half his time as an inside mid, which is a new role for him. He found plenty of the ball. “Rob Monahan and Harry Charleson gave us drive off half-back and Matt Duffy had to play on a bigger opponent and was outsized, but he competed really hard and halved a lot of aerial contests.”

On the VFL-listed players who impressed:
“We had about 10 new players to the club who ran out there, which was great. Some were really impressive: Tom Evans from Bendigo was solid, Darcy Tucker only played the first half but was probably best on ground in the first half, Jack Sammartino who we picked up from Box Hill was solid down back and Tom Stapleton - from Seymour Footy Club - played in the ruck and was really impressive. “A few of those guys will be putting their hand up for Round 1, there’s probably 20 of them fighting for 8-10 spots which is a great position for us.”

On preparations ramping up for the VFL season proper:
“We’ll probably have a few more AFL-listed boys in our VFL team on Wednesday against Geelong. What we’re looking for is those guys to play at AFL standard and put pressure on the AFL boys for their spots. We’ll rotate our VFL boys through our next two practice games, they’re all fighting for spots so they’ll be keen to impress.”

Practice Match 2, 2026.

Carlton Reserves squad v Geelong 16. Ben Camporeale, 21. Lucas Camporeale, 24. Nic Newman, 28. Harry Charleson, 30. Jack Ison, 34. Rob Monahan, 40. Hudson O’Keeffe, 41. Matthew Duffy, 45. Flynn Young, 50. Darcy Tucker, 53. Jack Polkinghorne, 54. Jack O’Sullivan, 55. Ethan Phillips, 57. Alwyn Davey, 58. Jack Sammartino, 59. Cooper Vickery, 61. Dane Harvey, 62. Oliver Warburton, 63. Ryder Corrigan, 66. Sam Paea, 69. Cooper Hamilton, 70. Darcy Hogg, 72. Tom Evans, 73. Tom Stapleton, 77. Will Cookson, 80. Tom Howard

Four-goal Flynn, late scoreboard drama sees Blues prevail

The Carlton Reserves recorded a last-gasp one-point win in a VFL practice match… without even realising it. - By Cristian Filippo, Carlton Media

The Carlton Reserves have recorded a last-gasp one-point win in a VFL practice match… without even realising it. A late rushed behind from Flynn Young saw the Blues hit the lead with 30 seconds to go, despite the IKON Park scoreboard suggesting that it only levelled the scores. However, the two goal umpires came together in the middle of the ground to confirm that the Blues had in fact won by a point, overturning a 38-point deficit in the second term. Young was the catalyst for the comeback with four goals, while draftee Jack Ison showcased his flair and veteran defender Nic Newman got through his second match back unscathed. It marked the Blues’ second consecutive narrow win from their practice matches, after a one-goal win against Coburg seven days ago. Carlton had to overcome a slow start, with Geelong kicking a goal from the opening centre clearance and recording three unanswered goals before the Blues even looked like troubling the scorers. The best moment of the opening quarter and a half from a Carlton perspective came from the boot of Irishman Matt Duffy, who received a 50-metre penalty and kicked truly for a goal. But it was otherwise a rough beginning to the game for the Blues, trailing by 38 points halfway through the second term with errors coming out of the back half proving costly. It was an exciting patch of form in the final 10 minutes of the second game which swung the momentum, with draftee Jack Ison having some key moments - including a spectacular mark sitting on the shoulders of his Geelong opponent.

A pair of former Werribee premiership teammates in Sam Paea and Flynn Young had two goals apiece in the first half, while Rob Monahan was finding plenty of the ball in the opening stages. The Blues had got themselves back within 14 points at the main break, before a pair of goals to Hudson O'Keeffe after some strong contested marking narrowed the gap even further. When Lucas Camporeale kicked a running goal from 50, Carlton hit the front, but the Cats responded with four consecutive majors of their own to reopen a 20-point gap. Nic Newman got through his allotted game time as he run laps of the boundary in the final term, and Ben Camporeale (cork) came from the ground with 10 minutes to play. It was quite the cameo from Flynn Young, who kicked two goals of his own with expert finishes before turning the provider for Alwyn Davey. It had actually levelled the scores, but with the scoreboard suggesting otherwise that the Cats were still up by a point, neither team was to know. Flynn Young rushed through a late behind to ‘level’ the scores after a goalmouth scramble, and it was only after the siren sounded at IKON Park that the Blues realised they had triumphed by the narrowest of margins as preparations continue for the season proper.

Practice Match 3, 2026.

Carlton Reserves squad v Footscray

2. Lachie Cowan, 13. Blake Acres, 16. Ben Camporeale, 21. Lucas Camporeale, 28. Harry Charleson, 30. Jack Ison, 32. Matthew Carroll, 34. Rob Monahan, 37. Jordan Boyd, 39. Talor Byrne, 40. Hudson O’Keeffe, 41. Matthew Duffy, 45. Flynn Young, 47. Wade Derksen, 51. Jaiden Magor, 55. Ethan Phillips, 58. Jack Sammartino, 59. Cooper Vickery, 61. Dane Harvey, 66. Sam Paea, 70. Darcy Hogg, 72. Charlie Cotter, 73. Tom Stapleton, 74. Logan Prout, 75. Liam Farrar, 77. Will Cookson, 78. Tyson Gresham

Blues return in Footscray practice match

A recap of all the action from Carlton's practice match against Footscray. - By Bailey Walsh.

The Carlton Reserves have gone down by 21 points to Footscray in a VFL practice match at IKON Park. Despite controlling large portions of territory throughout the afternoon, inaccuracy in front of goal ultimately proved costly for the Blues, finishing with 6.22 (58) after struggling to capitalise on their forward-half dominance. Several players returning from injury made their first appearances of the year, with Blake Acres, Lachie Cowan and Matt Carroll all getting valuable minutes under their belt. Footscray struck first, kicking the opening two goals of the contest before Carlton settled through the work of its midfield. A sharp intercept from Ben Camporeale in the centre created the Blues’ first goal, finding Flynn Young who snapped truly on the run.

Carlton continued to control large stretches of the first term, with Will Cookson busy around the contest and Cowan making an early statement with an intercept mark across half-back. Opportunities continued to present themselves. Matt Carroll intercepted strongly before finding Lucas Camporeale inside 50, while the Camporeale brothers combined neatly to create another chance for Darcy Hogg. However, the Blues struggled to make the most of their entries. Talor Byrne and Young both narrowly missed set shots, and despite dominating territory, Carlton trailed at quarter time. The Dogs capitalised on that inefficiency in the second term, extending their lead as the game became more congested between the arcs. Jordan Boyd had an impressive first half, impressing with his ball use, while Blake Acres gradually worked his way into the contest. But Footscray controlled the scoreboard, adding four goals to none in the quarter to open a 31-point advantage at the main break.

Carlton responded after half-time through Dane Harvey, who kicked truly from a free kick deep inside 50 to spark the Blues early in the third term. Cookson continued to drive the ball forward and delivered a precise pass to Jack Ison, who was lively throughout the quarter but narrowly missed his opportunity. Carlton dominated field position in the third term, with Hogg, Jordan Boyd and Jack Ison all influential, yet the Blues’ wastefulness continued as they managed just 1.7 for the quarter. Footscray made the home side pay, stretching the margin to 32 points by the final change. The Blues again started the final quarter strongly when Flynn Young delivered a neat pass from the pocket to Carroll, who converted calmly to reduce the deficit. Ison’s forward pressure soon produced another major after he earned a holding-the-ball free kick inside 50, while Tyson Gresham added a late goal. Despite continuing to win plenty of the ball through Matt Carroll, Jordan Boyd, Hogg and the Camporeale brothers, Carlton couldn’t close the gap as Footscray held on for a 21-point win.

Practice Match 4, 2026.

Carlton Reserves squad v Richmond

13. Blake Acres, 16. Ben Camporeale, 21. Lucas Camporeale, 25. Liam Reidy, 26. Nick Haynes, 28. Harry Charleson, 30. Jack Ison, 34. Rob Monahan, 37. Jordan Boyd, 39. Talor Byrne, 41. Matthew Duffy, 43. Ashton Moir, 45. Flynn Young, 47. Wade Derksen 50. Darcy Tucker, 51. Jaiden Magor, 53. Olle Badr, 54. Jack O’Sullivan, 56. Flynn Riley, 57. Alwyn Davey Junior, 58. Jack Sammartino, 59. Cooper Vickery, 61. Dane Harvey, 63. Ryder Corrigan, 65. Jed Rule, 70. Darcy Hogg, 72. Charlie Cotter, 74. Logan Prout, 75. Liam Farrar, 77. Will Cookson.

Blues finish strong in practice match win.

A summary and all the highlights from Carlton's VFL practice match win over Richmond.

Carlton overcame an early deficit to record a hard-fought seven-point win over Richmond in an entertaining contest at IKON Park. In a performance that featured strong individual performances and an impressive second-half fightback from the Blues, the match also marked the return of Nick Haynes from injury, with the experienced defender playing the first half and getting through unscathed. Despite trailing by as much as 26 points at half time, it was a commanding second-half performance from the Blues in the 10.17 (77) to 10.10 (70) win.

Richmond started the game strongly, kicking the opening goal within the first minute to immediately put Carlton under pressure. The Tigers controlled the early stages, but the Blues soon responded with a moment of quality ball movement. Jordan Boyd delivered a superb kick to Flynn Young, who launched a long-range effort from beyond 50 metres to kick Carlton’s first goal of the afternoon. Young’s goal helped settle the Blues and Ashton Moir soon made an impact. Moir had been busy early, finding plenty of the football, and he capped off his strong start by kicking Carlton’s second goal to cut the margin to six points. Wade Derksen was also influential in defence during the opening term, intercepting multiple Richmond attacks and helping to steady Carlton under pressure, while Ben Camporeale was lively around the contest as well, gathering plenty of disposals and applying strong defensive pressure. Despite Carlton’s efforts, Richmond maintained control for much of the quarter and went into the first break leading 4.3 (27) to 2.4 (16). Carlton responded early in the second quarter through Jordan Boyd. After taking an intercept mark just outside 50, Jordan Boyd received a 50-metre penalty, and he made no mistake with the set shot. Soon after, another Richmond infringement resulted in a 50-metre penalty, this time sending Liam Reidy to around 30 metres from goal. Reidy converted truly to briefly put the Blues back in front. However, Richmond responded strongly, kicking the next two goals to regain the momentum. There were still some standout defensive moments from Carlton, including a brilliant chase by Matt Duffy that prevented an almost certain Richmond goal, while Blake Acres produced a desperate intercept to shut down another dangerous Tigers attack. Despite those efforts, Richmond went into half time with a handy advantage, leading 8.7 (55) to 4.5 (29).

Carlton lifted noticeably after the main break and quickly began to claw back the deficit. Ashton Moir continued his impressive afternoon by kicking his second goal as the Blues opened the scoring for the third term. Lucas Camporeale then produced a strong run down the wing before delivering the ball to Charlie Cotter, who finished calmly to kick his first goal and cut the margin to 13 points. Momentum continued to build for the Blues, highlighted by a slick end-to-end passage of play that ended with Flynn Young kicking his second goal of the match. Rob Monahan also played an important role during this period, providing run and drive as Carlton began to dominate territory. The Blues capped off an excellent quarter in dramatic fashion when Dane Harvey kicked truly right on the siren, giving Carlton the lead for the first time since early in the match. At the final break the Blues had surged ahead 8.13 (61) to 8.8 (56). Carlton carried that momentum into the final quarter. Ollie Badr produced an impressive rundown smother on the wing before delivering the ball forward to Flynn Young, who kicked truly for his third goal of the afternoon. Shortly after, Ashton Moir snapped his third goal as well to extend Carlton’s lead to 10 points and put the Blues in a strong position. Carlton secured a seven-point victory after a determined second-half comeback, made all the more impressive with both Nick Haynes and Wade Derksen coming from the ground as planned at halftime. Nick Haynes’ successful return from injury was another positive outcome from the day as the Blues finished strongly to claim the win.

Home and Away Series.

Round 1, 2026.

BYE

Round 2, 2026.

Head-to-head:
Carlton 19-12;
At IKON Park: Carlton 3-1;
Streak: Williamstown 4;
Last time: Carlton 12.7 (79) def by Williamstown 17.15 (117) – Round 9, 2025, IKON Park
Carlton Reserves Team

B: M. Duffy (41), N. Haynes (26), A. Saad (42)
HB: H. Charleson (28), C. Vickery (59), R. Monahan (34)
C: N. Newman (24), B. Wilson (15), B. Acres (13)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), L. Camporeale (21), J. Ison (30)
F: F. Young (45), A. Moir (43), W. Derksen (47)
R: L. Reidy (25), B. Camporeale (16), M. Cottrell (46)
INT: J. Sammartino (58), W. Cookson (77), T. Evans (67), D. Harvey (61), D. Tucker (50)
23rd Player: T. Evans (67)
EMG: E. Phillips (55), D. Hogg (70), F. Riley (56), J. Magor (51), C. Cotter (72), L. Farrar (75), L. Prout (74)

Smithys Match Review
Williamstown prevailed in another thriller, this time downing Carlton by five points at IKON Park – its second win by less than a goal to start the 2026 season. The Seagulls had to survive a huge scare late, with Ashton Moir’s kick with the final touch of the day skewing out of bounds on the full. Williamstown had earlier made a fast start to race to a 16-point lead, before the Blues sharpened up to make a game of it and on four occasions got the margin to under a goal. But the away side always had an answer and found a way to hold on to go 2-0, a vast difference to their 0-2 start 12 months prior. Joel Fitzgerald excelled for the victors with 35 disposals, 11 marks and eight intercepts, with teammate Hugo Hall-Kahan also having a similar output with 34 touches, 11 marks and seven score involvements. Carlton best contributors in defeat were Nick Newman, Ben Camporeale (27 disposals) and Flynn Young (three goals).

Best: Nic Newman, Liam Reidy, Flynn Young, Nick Haynes, William Cookson, Billy Wilson.

Carlton's Match Review
Gallant effort not enough in tight opening loss
The Carlton Reserves fell by five points in their first VFL game of the season. - By Bailey Walsh.

The Carlton Reserves have been pipped at the post in their opening game of the VFL season, falling short by five points against Williamstown. After being headed all day in an up-and-down contest, the VFL Blues just fell short in the 12.7 (79) to 12.12 (84) defeat. On a day where the Blues had a number of senior-listed players roll through the VFL side, Nic Newman’s performance was a key highlight for the Blues, with the experienced defender finishing with 23 disposals playing on the wing and half-back. Williamstown burst out of the blocks, kicking the opening two goals and setting the tone early. It was Flynn Young who provided an early highlight with a strong chase-down tackle before converting truly to get the Blues on the board. But despite that effort, Williamstown controlled the quarter on the scoreboard, taking a 19-point lead into the first break. The Blues responded strongly in the second term to get themselves back into the contest, with VFL debutant Will Cookson slotting the opening goal to reduce the margin to 15 points. Lachie Fogarty followed with a composes finished after a strong mark inside 50, as Matt Cottrell had a growing influence along with Nic Newman, applying pressure and finding plenty of the ball. After an early surge by the Blues, the Seagulls steadied with two quick goals of their own, before Jack Ison converted his first in Navy Blue and Ashton Moir added another with a classy finish. A superb contested mark to Flynn Young saw him convert to bring the margin back to under a goal, as after a strong second term, the Blues closed the gap significantly to trail by nine points at the main break. The two teams went goal for goal to start the third term, as Darcy Tucker goaled from close range, Jack Ison added his second after a strong passage of play and Flynn Young snapped truly to cut the deficit to just two points.

The contest remaining tight throughout the quarter, with scores once again close at three-quarter time: a precise Ben Camporeale assist to Dane Harvey meant the Blues trailed by four points at the final change. Williamstown struck first in the final term, kicking two quick goals to stretch the margin to 16 points. Tom Evans responded with his first goal on his VFL debut to keep his side in touch, and just a minute later, Liam Reidy added another to set up a tense finish. The Blues dominated territory in the closing minutes but were unable to convert, having one final attack before the siren sounded with the home side five points down. Ben Camporeale was the main disposal-getter for the Blues with 27 possessions, while Nic Newman (23 disposals) and Cookson (23 disposals, one goal) fought hard all day. Billy Wilson impressed in his first game of the season, providing run and carry with 18 disposals, while Nick Haynes took 13 marks in defence. Matt Cottrell played a half and got through unscathed in his first game back since April last year, while the Blues were also without Matt Duffy (concussion) in the second half.

Truslove reflects on Round 2 battle
VFL Senior Coach Damian Truslove spoke to Carlton Media following the five-point loss to Williamstown in Round 2.- By Bailey Walsh

Carlton Reserves coach Damian Truslove pointed to a slow start as the key takeaway from his side’s narrow opening loss, while still highlighting the effort and competitiveness shown across the remainder of the match.

On lamenting the first term:
“The boys put up a great fight, we know Williamstown are a fantastic outfit. “I think our first quarter is something we’ve got to look at the way we played there, we didn’t really play the brand of footy that we wanted to. For three quarters, we played our way and we were in front in a lot of key statistics around that - we’ll look closely at the first quarter and then make some adjustments for next week.”

On a slow start after the bye:
“It’s always good to come off a solid game which they had against Frankston last week and our boys had the weekend off, however I think we can learn just around our decision making and some of our execution when the pressure’s hot early in the game. “We’ll review that closely and we’ll certainly be better in that area for next week against North Melbourne.”

On debutants and standout performances:
“It was great to have six debutants for the Club, with four of them VFL-listed plus two of our AFL boys. “They all put up a really good fight. I thought after a slowish start, our midfield was good for three quarters. Our backs were undersized but fought really hard, plus our forwards were also quite undersized but competed well for most of the game.”

On looking ahead to North Melbourne:
“It’ll be fantastic down at Arden Street on Good Friday. They’re a really talented list and it’ll be a tough game for us, but we’ve just got to recover well and work on a few of those areas -- particularly in the first quarter. “We need to improve and just come out red hot and ready to go next week.”

Coaches MVP Award
9 - Hugo Hall-Kahan (WILL)
5 - Luke Parks (WILL)
4 - Joel Fitzgerald (WILL)
3 - Nic Newman (CARL)
3 - Jack Toner (WILL)
3 - Flynn Young (CARL)
2 - Liam Reidy (CARL)
1 - Josh D'Intinosante (WILL)

Video

Round 3, 2026.

Head-to-head: Carlton 23-10-5;
At Arden Street Oval: Tied 6-6-4;
Streak: North Melbourne 3;
Last time: Carlton 10.13 (73) def by North Melbourne 11.8 (74) – Round 13, 2025, IKON Park

Carlton Reserves Team
B: L. Prout (74), N. Haynes (26), A. Saad (42)
HB: H. Charleson (28), B. Wilson (15), R. Monahan (34)
C: C. Chesser (31), D. Tucker (50), B. Acres (13)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), L. Camporeale (21), J. Ison (30)
F: F. Young (45), H. O'Keeffe (40), A. Moir (43)
R: L. Reidy (25), B. Camporeale (16), M. Cottrell (46)
INT: J. Sammartino (58), W. Cookson (77), T. Evans (67), D. Harvey (61), D. Hogg (70)
23rd Player: T. Evans (67)
EMG: O. Badr (53), C. Vickery (59), O. Warburton (62), F. Riley (56), J. Magor (51), A. Davey (57), J. Rule (60), T. Logan (68)
IN: C. Chesser, D. Hogg, H. O'Keeffe, L. Prout
OUT: W. Derksen, N. Newman (AFL), M. Duffy (concussion), C. Vickery (omitted).
Smithys Match Review
North Melbourne claimed its first win of the 2026 Smithy’s VFL season with an 11-point victory in the annual Good Friday clash with Carlton at Arden Street Oval. Consecutive five-goal terms in the second and third quarters helped the Roos create a breakaway to lead by 28 points at the last change, before holding off a fast-finishing Blues outfit in the fourth term. Robert Hansen Jr had a terrific outing for the hosts, finishing with 29 disposals and five tackles. Up forward, James Tarrant was with four goals, 20 disposals and eight marks, whilst Brayden George got the Roos going with four goals in a scintillating first quarter. Flynn Young was a standout for Carlton, producing 21 disposals, three goals and 11 marks, Liam Reidy was a presence in the ruck while 19-year-old Jack Ison finished with three majors.

Carlton forward Flynn Young has made a case for a senior recall in the Blues’ 11-point VFL loss to North Melbourne, with the 24-year-old lively up front kicking 3.2 from 18 touches, taking 11 marks and adding 11 score involvements. The former mid season draftee played eight AFL games last year, and showcased his impressive left boot and sticky hands in greasy conditions. Rookie Jack Ison also impressed with three goals from eight disposals, including seven score involvements. Camporeale twins Ben and Lucas each recorded 21 disposals, with Lucas particularly influential in the second half. Billy Wilson also racked up 21 touches and kicked a fourth quarter goal, looking to add to his four AFL games last year. Liam Reidy was dominant in the ruck with 20 touches for the second week in a row to go with 30 hitouts and 14 clearances, but may be set for a stint on the sidelines after a second-quarter bump on Hugo Mikunda that will draw the eye of the VFL Match Review Officer. Adam Saad showed his trademark dash with 19 touches off half-back, Lachie Fogarty continued to play midfield minutes and collected 15 touches and six inside-50s, while young defender Harry Charleson had 17 disposals. Other AFL-listed players Blake Acres (12 touches), Campbell Chesser (13 disposals), Ashton Moir (nine touches, 1.1) and Rob Monahan were quiet for large parts of the contest, while Nick Haynes competed strongly in defence but appeared to injure his right arm late in the contest.

Carlton's Match Review
Inaccuracy, lapse costly in Reserves loss.
A recap of VFL Round 3 action. - By Bailey Walsh.

Carlton's wastefulness in front of goal proved costly as North Melbourne emerged with an 11-point victory in VFL Round 3 action. A disappointing finish to the second term coupled with not taking opportunities late saw the Blues fall at Arden Street, falling 14.15 (99) to 17.8 (110). On a day where Flynn Young (21 disposals, three goals), Liam Reidy (14 clearances) and Billy Wilson (22 disposals) impressed, the Blues gave themselves too much to do late in the piece. The game began in tight, congested fashion, before North Melbourne broke through with the opening goal five minutes in. Carlton responded through Flynn Young, who converted after a precise pass from Adam Saad. Young then turned provider, delivering a sharp pass to Darcy Hogg (19 disposals, one goal), who finished truly in his first game of the season. Tom Evans gave the Blues the lead with a clever snap over his head, but North Melbourne answered strongly with the final two goals of the term. Liam Reidy was dominant early and continued that form across the day, finishing with 20 disposals, a commanding 14 clearances and 30 hitouts. He had strong support from Harry Charleson, who gathered 19 disposals, while Ben Camporeale was also busy early. Matt Cottrell intercepted at half-forward in the second term and set up Jack Ison, who converted to put Carlton back in front. Ison made the most of his opportunities across the game, finishing with three goals from eight disposals. Flynn Young added his second after a flowing passage of play and was one of Carlton’s most dangerous players on the day. However, North Melbourne seized control midway through the second quarter, piling on five unanswered goals to take a firm grip on the contest heading into the main break, despite the Blues having the benefit of the breeze in the second term.

Darcy Tucker opened Carlton’s second-half account, reducing the margin to four goals, before Hudson O'Keeffe then capitalised from the goal square following excellent work from Young. Jack Ison added his second to cut the deficit to 18 points, but North Melbourne again responded with two late goals to stretch the margin back out to 29 points at the final change. Carlton continued to push in the last quarter, with Ashton Moir marking strongly inside 50 and converting, but North Melbourne replied immediately to halt momentum. Billy Wilson, who impressed with his ball use all day from half-back, launched a long-range effort from beyond 50 to keep the Blues within reach. Flynn Young’s third goal brought the margin back to 20 points midway through the term, before Jack Ison added his third following a strong team passage from defensive 50. The Blues continued to press to no avail, although a bright moment came late in the game, with Logan Prout kicking his first goal since returning from an ACL injury. However, the siren sounded shortly after, as ultimately North Melbourne’s earlier run proved decisive.

Truslove highlights positives, focus areas after VFL Round 3.
Damian Truslove reflects on his side's Round 3 VFL performance. - By Bailey Walsh

Following a hard-fought Round 3 clash against North Melbourne, Damian Truslove reflected on his side’s performance with a focus on growth and consistency. While the result didn’t go the Blues way in an 11-point defeat, there were further signs a new-look group is building in the right direction. The team’s focus will now shift to 17 April taking on Collingwood at IKON Park after next week’s competition-wide bye. With a valuable block of time to reset and refine key areas, they’ll be looking to turn promising signs into a complete performance.

On key takeaways from the game:
“There were plenty of positives, the second quarter was disappointing where they got a run on there. “We fought the game out till to the end, which was a lot of credit to the boys, but there were some areas we’ve got to work in our game. I think we are certainly heading in the right direction and there were some good performances by individuals.”

On taking positives from the last quarter, with the Blues’ next game to come in a fortnight against Collingwood:
“I was really pleased with the last quarter. I thought our contest work and our ball movement late when we challenged them late in the last quarter was good. “We just have to finish it off with our set shots, we were +4 for scoring shots but we probably missed too many easy shots on goal – we’ll get to work in that area.”

On individual standouts:
“I think Liam Reidy in the ruck is in really good form - his ability to try and get the team going forward is great. Flynn Young is another one who is in fantastic form up forward.”

On where the focus shifts to heading into the bye:
“We’ll look at all areas of our game, we will start with our defence and some areas of our defence we need to keep working on which we will try to improve on in that two-week block. “Also some of our decisions with ball in hand is an area we can certainly address.”

Coaches MVP Award

Video

Round 4, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: J. Boyd (37), W. Derksen (47), A. Saad (42)
HB: H. Charleson (28), B. Wilson (15), R. Monahan (34)
C: C. Chesser (31), G. Hewett (29), B. Acres (13)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), L. Camporeale (21), J. Ison (30)
F: F. Young (45), H. O'Keeffe (40), A. Moir (43)
R: L. Reidy (25), B. Camporeale (16), M. Cottrell (46)
INT: D. Tucker (50), T. Logan (68), M. Duffy (41), D. Harvey (61), C. Lord (36)
23rd Player: T. Logan (68)
EMG: J. Sammartino (58), C. Vickery (59), O. Warburton (62), F. Riley (56), J. Magor (51), A. Davey (57), L. Prout (74), W. Cookson (77)

IN: J. Boyd, W. Derksen, M. Duffy, G. Hewett, T. Logan, C. Lord
OUT: N. Haynes (AFL), D. Hogg (injured), W. Cookson, T. Evans, L. Prout, J. Sammartino (omitted)

Smithys Match Review A dominant second quarter helped steer Carlton to its first win of the season at IKON Park on Friday night, proving too strong for arch-rival Collingwood in a 31-point result. After a low-scoring opening term which netted just one major, the Blues put on the afterburners in the second, booting six unanswered goals to blow the Magpies away. Goalless in the opening half, Collingwood rallied in the second half and won each of the final two quarters but the damage had been done. Blake Acres, George Hewett and Cooper Lord all finished with north of 30 disposals or more, with Blake Acres recording 10 intercept possessions, Hewett producing nine clearances and Lord having 10 tackles. Sam Swadling was a clear standout on a night of struggle for the Pies and ended the match with 29 disposals, 10 intercepts and four tackles.

Carlton's Match Review Blues open 2026 account with dominant win
A summary of all the action from Carlton's Round 4 VFL win. - By Bailey Walsh

The Carlton Reserves produced a commanding performance against Collingwood, running out 31-point winners at IKON Park in Round 4. Highlighted by a resounding +81 disposal differential and +36 advantage in tackles, the Blues led from the outset and weren’t troubled after a dominant first half in the 11.19 (85) to 7.12 (54) win. The Blues welcomed back Cooper Lord from illness and Matt Duffy from concussion, and both made an immediate impact in a tightly contested opening. Much of the first quarter was played between the arcs, with neither side able to gain full control in a scrappy contest. A promising chain involving Jack Ison and Lachie Fogarty ended with George Hewett, who couldn’t quite finish, but Lachie Fogarty soon broke through with the first goal of the game after earning a 50-metre penalty.

From there, Carlton began to build, and the second quarter proved decisive. Their forward pressure was immense, led by Flynn Young, who capitalised with a forward-50 intercept and goal before setting up Hudson O'Keeffe soon after. Flynn Young continued his strong start to the season, finishing with two goals and 21 disposals, constantly providing a target inside 50. Carlton’s dominance continued as Jordan Boyd set up another scoring opportunity, allowing Flynn Riley to hit the scoreboard, while Darcy Tucker added to the growing margin. Jack Ison capped off the half with a clever snap, finishing the game with 2 goals and 17 disposals to go with his strong defensive efforts. Lucas Camporeale showed great courage late in the half with a spoil deep in defence, while brother Ben Camporeale shone through the midfield, finishing with 27 disposals. Carlton’s appetite for the contest in the first two quarters was clear, keeping the Pies goalless at the main break.

Collingwood came out with intent in the second half, kicking the opening goal, but Ashton Moir responded with a smart mark and goal. Ashton Moir added a second for the quarter after a burst through the middle from the lively Adam Saad, helping Carlton steady whenever the Pies threatened. Collingwood managed to string together a few late goals to reduce the margin heading into the final term, but George Hewett got involved to set up Matt Cottrell who produced his first goal since his return to football. Just as the Pies looked to respond again, Carlton’s control across the ground - driven by their midfield depth, relentless pressure, and overall statistical dominance - ensured the result was never seriously in doubt. Cooper Lord was particularly influential in his return, gathering 31 disposals and 11 tackles. Around the ground, Blake Acres was tireless on the wing with 31 disposals, while George Hewett was strong in the contest, collecting 29 disposals and helping drive the Blues forward. In the ruck, Flynn Riley stood up in place of late exclusion Liam Reidy, finishing with 13 disposals and an impressive 33 hitouts, giving Carlton first use throughout the night. It was a complete team performance from Carlton, with key contributors across every line combining to secure an impressive 31-point victory over a fierce rival.

Coaches MVP Award 9 - Blake Acres (CARL)
9 - Cooper Lord (CARL)
3 - Ben Camporeale (CARL)
3 - Adam Saad (CARL)
2 - Harvey Harrison (COLL)
2 - George Hewett (CARL)
2 - Sam Swadling (COLL)

Video

Round 5, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: M. Duffy (41), W. Derksen (47), A. Saad (42)
HB: H. Charleson (28), J. Boyd (37), R. Monahan (34)
C: C. Chesser (31), B. Wilson (15), B. Acres (13)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), G. Hewett (29), D. Hogg (70)
F: F. Young (45), H. O'Keeffe (40), J. Ison (30)
R: F. Riley (56), D. Tucker (50), M. Cottrell (46)
INT: D. Harvey (61), J. Magor (51), A. Stevens (64), J. Rule (65), L. Farrar (75)
23rd Player: L. Farrar (75)
EMG: J. Sammartino (58), C. Vickery (59), O. Warburton (62), T. Stapleton (73), T. Logan (68), A. Davey (57), L. Prout (74), W. Cookson (77)

IN: W. Derksen, L. Farrar, D. Hogg, J. Magor, J. Rule, A. Stevens
OUT: C. Lord, A. Moir, L. Reidy (AFL), B. Camporeale (concussion), L. Camporeale (kidney), T. Logan (omitted)
NEW: Liam Farrar, 20, 189cm, Northern Knights/Diamond Creek; Jed Rule, 22, 191cm, Box Hill Hawks/Old Carey

Smithys Match Review Tasmania saw its flawless start to the season come to an end, falling to Carlton by 25 points at Ninja Stadium on Saturday night. In front of more than 14,000 fans, a low scoring first half saw the Devils lead by five points at quarter time before a five-goal second term from the Blues put the hosts on the back foot at the main break. Tasmania came hard again in the third term with a four-goal run reducing the deficit to two points at the 20-minute mark, before the Blues went up another gear to end the penultimate quarter with a 21-point advantage. They held their lead throughout the final term to claim a second-straight win and jump into the top 10. George Hewett (40 disposals) and Billy Wilson (41) were outstanding in the middle of the ground, with Hewett also having 11 clearances. Jack Ison was at his best inside 50 with four goals and Flynn Riley controlled the air, amassing 40 hitouts as well as having 23 disposals. The Devils best included skipper Robbie Fox (25 disposals) and Caleb Mitchell (10 clearances, seven score involvements).

Carlton's Match Review Blues stand tall to down Devils
The Carlton Reserves produced a telling 25-point win in front of a packed house against Tasmania. - By Bailey Walsh

Carlton produced a strong four-quarter performance to defeat Tasmania by 25 points. Overcoming an early arm wrestle and a mid-game surge from the Devils to secure the win, the Blues led from the early stages of the second term to kick away in the 14.9 (93) to 9.14 (68) win. The opening term was a tight, contested affair, with much of the play locked between the arcs and inside Tasmania’s forward 50 - despite the early pressure, Carlton’s defence stood tall under siege. Flynn Riley had the Blues’ first opportunity after earning a high contact free kick but couldn’t convert, while Jack Ison also went close after a slick end-to-end passage. Carlton began to gain control as the quarter progressed but struggled to make it count on the scoreboard, managing just four early behinds. The Blues’ transition game looked to be in a good place despite the lack of scoreboard return, with Billy Wilson (12 disposals) and Harry Charleson (10 disposals) leading the way. Carlton found its rhythm in the second term. Liam Farrar kicked his first goal in Navy Blue to level the scores early, before a composed finish from Darcy Tucker - set up by club debutant Jaiden Magor - gave the Blues the lead. The momentum continued as Campbell Chesser finished off another fluent passage, while Blake Acres and Logan Prout added goals to stretch the margin to 16 points by half time.

The third term saw momentum swing dramatically. Wade Derksen - who played the whole game up forward - and Lachie Fogarty extended Carlton’s lead beyond four goals, but Tasmania responded with four consecutive goals to cut the margin to just two points. With the game on the line, Jack Ison stepped up, kicking three goals in quick succession – the last from a brilliant Jordan Boyd assist - to wrestle back control. The Blues’ late burst steadied the ship, pushing the lead back out to 21 points at the final change. Tasmania came hard early in the final quarter, locking the ball in their forward half and reducing the margin to 13 points. However, Carlton responded through Wade Derksen, who converted after a strong entry from Cooper Vickery, before Jed Rule added his first goal for the Blues. Lachie Fogarty and Jack Ison added further majors as the Blues maintained control despite the Devils’ persistence late, eventually running out 25-point winners in a hard-fought contest. Billy Wilson was outstanding with 40 disposals, while George Hewett (39) and Harry Charleson (27) provided consistent support through the midfield and half-back respectively. Flynn Riley was dominant in the ruck with 39 hitouts to go with 19 disposals, while Campbell Chesser (27 disposals), Jordan Boyd (26) and Adam Saad (24) were also key contributors. Up forward, Jack Ison led the way with four goals, while Wade Derksen added two. Carlton’s win was slightly soured by injuries to Rob Monahan (shoulder) and Darcy Tucker (calf), which will be assessed in the coming days.

Coaches MVP Award
9 - George Hewett (CARL)
9 - Billy Wilson (CARL)
4 - Zach Adams (TAS)
3 - Adam Saad (CARL)
2 - Campbell Chesser (CARL)
2 - Flynn Riley (CARL)
1 - Robbie Fox (TAS)

Video

Round 6, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: M. Duffy (41), L. Young (33), W. Derksen (47)
HB: H. Charleson (28), J. Boyd (37), B. Wilson (15)
C: C. Chesser (31), C. Lord (36), B. Acres (13)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), A. Moir (43), F. Young (45)
F: T. Byrne (39), H. O'Keeffe (40), J. Ison (30)
R: F. Riley (56), G. Hewett (29), B. Camporeale (16)
INT: D. Harvey (61), D. Hogg (70), J. Sammartino (58), C. Walker (76), L. Prout (74)
23rd Player: C. Walker (76)
EMG: A. Stevens (64), C. Vickery (59), O. Warburton (62), J. Magor (51), T. Evans (67), C. Cotter (72), L. Farrar (75), W. Cookson (77)

IN: T. Byrne, B. Camporeale, C. Lord, A. Moir, H. O'Keeffe, C. Walker, F. Young, L. Young
OUT: A. Saad (AFL), R. Monahan (shoulder), D. Tucker (calf), L. Farrar, J. Magor, J. Rule, A. Stevens, C. Vickery (omitted)
NEW: Cody Walker, 18, 184cm, Bendigo Pioneers/Echuca

Smithys Match Review Carlton moved into eighth spot on the ladder with a third-straight win after holding on to defeat St Kilda by five points at IKON Park. The Blues enjoyed an opening-term blitz with seven goals to two, before being kept goalless in second quarter to see their lead reduced to just two points at the main break. St Kilda’s momentum would continue in the third term, booting the opening two goals to hit the front, before Carlton responded with four of the next five goals to lead by 12 points at the last change. The Blues looked to have the game in their keeping when leading by 19 points at the 16-minute mark of the final term but had to hold off on last charge from the Saints in the dying stages. George Hewett stood out again in his third match at VFL level, picking up 31 disposals, 12 marks and six clearances, as well as kicking two goals. He was assisted by Billy Wilson (28 touches, five inside 50s) and father-son prospect Cody Walker, who gave Carlton fans plenty to get excited about with 26 touches and five clearances on debut. Hugh Boxshall did all he could for the Saints with 33 disposals, 12 marks and seven tackles, while Bailey McKenzie slotted three goals. St Kilda’s day was further soured by a hamstring injury to key forward Max King during the second quarter after making a promising start.

Carlton's Match Review Blues hold nerve in VFL thriller
The Carlton Reserves held on for a third consecutive VFL win against St Kilda. - By Bailey Walsh

Carlton survived a comeback from the Saints to claim a hard-fought five-point victory, recording their third consecutive win. In a vastly changed lineup, the Blues welcomed eight inclusions, with Cody Walker making his VFL debut while Talor Byrne, Ben Camporeale, Cooper Lord, Ashton Moir, Hudson O'Keeffe, Flynn Young and Lewis Young all featuring. After a hot start, the Blues were challenged and had to come from behind in the third quarter to record a 14.14 (98) win to 13.15 (93) in a tense finish. Carlton burst out of the blocks with strong work at the coalface. Despite the Saints striking first through Max King, the Blues responded swiftly through Hudson O'Keeffe, who was the Blues’ captain on the day. Blake Acres got busy early, pouncing on a loose ball in the goal square before adding a second soon after, courtesy of strong build-up play involving Cooper Lord and Lachie Fogarty. Flynn Young joined the party with a classy finish, while Lachie Fogarty nailed a set shot from distance to keep the momentum rolling. Late goals to Jack Ison and Ashton Moir capped off a dominant term, with the Blues controlling the clearances and taking a 28-point lead into quarter time, 7.1 (43) to 2.3 (15).

The game flipped in the second term as the Saints took control, piling on four unanswered goals to cut the margin to just three points by half time. Carlton struggled to maintain its first-quarter intensity as St Kilda’s pressure and ball movement began to take over, putting the Blues’ backline under pressure. The Saints carried their momentum into the second half, kicking the opening two goals to take the lead on the back of six straight goals. Carlton responded through George Hewett after strong work from debutant Cody Walker, before Wade Derksen put the Blues back in front with a goal on the run. The lead changed hands again before Jack Ison capitalised on ground-level pressure to restore Carlton’s advantage. Hewett added another to stretch the margin before the Saints trimmed it back slightly, with the Blues holding a 12-point lead at the final change. A tense final term saw both sides generate opportunities but struggle to convert early. Darcy Hogg’s intercept and composed finish gave the Blues breathing room, but the Saints refused to go away, responding with consecutive goals to close within a kick. Jack Ison’s quick snap steadied things momentarily while Walker continued to impress, setting up Logan Prout for a crucial late goal that again extended the lead. But another wave of Saints pressure brought the margin back to five points deep into time-on, with the Blues needing to step up late. The majority of the last five minutes of play was in Carlton’s forward 50, with the home side able to lock it inside the forward half thanks to intercepts from Talor Byrne and Dane Harvey. George Hewett (31 disposals, two goals) was strong in the contest, while Walker (25 disposals) provided running support all over the ground. Billy Wilson (26 disposals) and Jordan Boyd (23) were again prolific, while Jack Ison continued his impressive return in front of goal with three majors.

Coaches MVP Award 10 - George Hewett (CARL)
7 - Lachie Fogarty (CARL)
6 - Hugh Boxshall (STK)
3 - Blake Acres (CARL)
2 - Paddy Dow (STK)
1 - Jordan Boyd (CARL)
1 - Jayden Davey (STK)

Video

Round 7, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: M. Duffy (41), L. Young (33), W. Derksen (47)
HB: H. Charleson (28), J. Boyd (37), L. Prout (74)
C: C. Lord (36), M. Cottrell (46), B. Acres (13)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), T. Byrne (39), F. Young (45)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), J. Ison (30)
R: L. Reidy (25), C. Chesser (31), B. Camporeale (16)
INT: D. Harvey (61), D. Hogg (70), J. Sammartino (58), C. Walker (76), W. Reinhold (60)
23rd Player: C. Walker (76)
EMG: A. Stevens (64), C. Vickery (59), O. Warburton (62), J. Magor (51), T. Evans (67), J. Rule (65), F. Riley (56), W. Cookson (77)

IN: M. Cottrell, L. Reidy, W. Reinhold
OUT: G. Hewett, B. Wilson (AFL), F. Riley (omitted)

Smithys Match Review Carlton produced a statement performance to jump into the top four for the first time this season, thrashing the Casey Demons by 122 points at Casey Fields. Leading by just five points at quarter time, the Blues piled on 21 goals to one across the final three quarters. It was the first time since Round 12, 2025 that Carlton had kicked more than 100 points in a VFL game and the highest score produced by the club since Round 11, 2015 when they were the Northern Blues. The result was also in great contract to the club’s last trip to Casey Fields, when they were thrashed by 108 points in Round 17 last year. Carlton’s dominant display came from a wide range of contributors, led by Blake Acres who amassed 31 disposals at 87% efficiency as well as eight marks, seven intercepts and two goals. Darcy Hogg was also terrific with 28 touches, six inside 50s and three goals, while Wade Derksen led the way up forward with a season-high five majors. Lewis Young stood tall in defence and had 16 marks, three of those contested. Trent Rivers (29 disposals, nine intercepts) and Tom McDonald (22 disposals, eight intercepts) were among the home side’s better players on a tough day.

Carlton's Match Review Blues produce dominant 122-point win The Carlton Reserves delivered one of its most complete performances of the season, powering past Casey by 122 points. - By Bailey Walsh

Carlton delivered one of its most complete performances of the season on Saturday afternoon, powering past the Casey Demons by 122 points in a dominant Round 7 display. After an even first term, a powerful finish to the second quarter saw the Blues open up a healthy lead and never look back in the 24.13 (157) to 3.17 (35) win. It was a true team performance from the Blues with contributors across every line, seeing them record their fourth consecutive win. Casey opened the scoring after Carlton missed a couple of early opportunities, but the Blues quickly settled into the contest. Campbell Chesser burst from a clearance before finding Wade Derksen, who took a strong contested mark and kicked Carlton’s first goal of the afternoon. Wade Derksen added another soon after following great pressure from Jack Ison, before Flynn Young converted to help Carlton take a five-point lead into quarter time. Ben Camporeale, Cody Walker, Harry Charleson, Jordan Boyd and Lewis Young all found plenty of the football early as the Blues began to gain control around the contest. The second quarter proved decisive as Carlton completely took over the game. Lachie Fogarty opened the term with a classy finish after a clever pass from Wade Derksen, while Talor Byrne’s pressure around goal forced mistakes from Casey, eventually snapping truly from the pocket to extend the margin. Lewis Young produced two desperate goal-line efforts to deny certain goals and help maintain the Blues’ momentum. Ashton Moir then added his first after receiving a 50-metre penalty before Liam Reidy burst from stoppage to set up Jack Ison at ground level. Carlton then finished the half in devastating fashion. Ben Camporeale burst through traffic for a classy major before Blake Acres launched a long-range torpedo, as the Blues piled on five unanswered goals to head into half time with a commanding 40-point lead.

Carlton carried its momentum into the third quarter with another polished display. Talor Byrne set up Blake Acres for his second goal of the afternoon following a smooth transition from defensive 50, before Hudson O'Keeffe produced a brilliant chase-down tackle which resulted in Jack Sammartino kicking his first goal in Navy Blue. Wade Derksen continued his dominant afternoon with his third goal before another slick chain from defence ended with Ashton Moir kicking his second. Jack Ison was also influential throughout the term, snapping a classy banana finish for his second goal after intercepting the football inside 50. Although Casey managed a late goal after the siren, the Blues still held a massive 65-point advantage at the final break. The final quarter became a complete avalanche. Harry Charleson kicked his first goal as a Blue with a brilliant running finish before Wade Derksen added his fourth and fifth goals of the afternoon as Carlton’s lead continued to grow. Darcy Hogg caught fire late with three final-quarter goals, while Lachie Fogarty added his second major before setting up Hudson O'Keeffe for his first of the afternoon. Cooper Lord also hit the scoreboard as the Blues capped off a ruthless final term. Carlton eventually ran away 122-point winners in a dominant four-quarter performance. Blake Acres was outstanding throughout the afternoon, finishing with 31 disposals and two goals on the wing. Darcy Hogg also impressed with 28 disposals and three goals, while Ben Camporeale continued his strong form with 24 disposals and a goal. Cody Walker and Liam Reidy both collected 24 disposals in influential performances, while Jordan Boyd (23 disposals), Lewis Young (23 disposals) and Cooper Lord (22 disposals and a goal) all played key roles in the resounding victory.

Coaches MVP Award 10 - Liam Reidy (CARL)
8 - Blake Acres (CARL)
5 - Wade Derksen (CARL)
3 - Darcy Hogg (CARL)
2 - Riley Bonner (CAS)
2 - Jordan Boyd (CARL)

Video

Round 8, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: M. Duffy (41), L. Young (33), W. Derksen (47)
HB: H. Charleson (28), J. Boyd (37), L. Prout (74)
C: C. Lord (36), M. Cottrell (46), B. Acres (13)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), T. Byrne (39), D. Hogg (70)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), F. Young (45)
R: L. Reidy (25), C. Chesser (31), B. Camporeale (16)
INT: C. Vickery (59), O. Warburton (62), J. Sammartino (58), C. Walker (76), W. Reinhold (60)
23rd Player: C. Walker (76)
EMG: A. Stevens (64), D. Harvey (61), O. Badr (53), J. Magor (51), T. Evans (67), J. Rule (65), F. Riley (56), W. Cookson (77)

IN: C. Vickery, O. Warburton
OUT: J. Ison (AFL), D. Harvey (omitted)

Smithys Match Review Carlton climbed to second place on the ladder after producing its best performance of the year down reigning premier Footscray by 20 points for its fifth-consecutive win. A high scoring first half saw the Bulldogs punish Carlton’s inaccuracy as they held a nine-point advantage at the main break despite having six less scoring shots. But the Blues would turn the game on its head in the third term, kicking seven goals to nil to open a 30-point advantage. Despite a six-goal final quarter from the Dogs, it was not enough to haul back their hosts, as they fell to a third-successive defeat. Ashton Moir was influential up forward for the Blues and booted four majors, working well alongside Talor Byrne who finished with three majors. Blake Acres was outstanding in the middle and had a season-high 34 disposals. Footscray was led by Cooper Craig-Peters (27 disposals, 10 clearances) and Luke Cleary (27 disposals, eight intercept possessions).

Carlton's Match Review Third-quarter blitz powers Blues past Footscray
A summary of the Carlton Reserves' Round 8 VFL win. - By Bailey Walsh.

Carlton has continued its strong run of form in the VFL, overcoming Footscray by 20 points in an entertaining Round 8 clash after a dominant third-quarter burst set up the victory. After trailing at the main break, the Blues put the foot down in a scintillating third term, kicking seven unanswered goals to set up the 16.21 (117) to 15.7 (97) victory. The Blues controlled possession early and opened the scoring through Ashton Moir after Liam Reidy found him inside 50. Footscray responded quickly though, keeping the game tight throughout the opening term. Cooper Vickery produced a crucial spoil that allowed Lachie Fogarty to gather cleanly and snap truly, while Wade Derksen impressed early in a shift back to defence with multiple intercept marks. Blake Acres was influential from the outset and linked up with Oliver Warburton, who took a strong contested mark before converting. Carlton regained the lead late in the term when Acres unselfishly handed off to Talor Byrne for a composed finish, but a late Footscray goal saw scores level at quarter-time. The Dogs struck first in the second quarter to edge ahead, but Ashton Moir continued to look dangerous inside 50. Strong body work allowed him to take an uncontested mark before calmly converting his second goal of the afternoon, before flying high moments later for another impressive mark. Will Reinhold then produced a memorable moment, snapping truly out of congestion for his first goal as a Blue to briefly restore Carlton’s lead. However, Footscray again answered immediately and held a nine-point advantage heading into the main break.

Carlton completely took over after half time with a blistering third quarter that turned the match on its head. Cooper Vickery launched a long-range effort from beyond 50 after a centre clearance to cut the margin to three points inside 30 seconds, before he found Moir a minute later who gave the Blues back the lead. The momentum continued to build as Acres soccered one through off the ground before Hudson O’Keeffe added consecutive goals, including a brilliant finish while lying on the turf. Carlton’s ball movement became increasingly dangerous, slicing through Footscray’s defence with speed and precision, which came off the back of outstanding intercepting work from Wade Derksen and the equally impressive Lewis Young. A coast-to-coast passage from a kick-in eventually found Byrne who converted, before Matthew Cottrell capped off the dominant quarter with another major after relentless pressure from defensive 50. It gave the Blues a commanding 30-point lead at three-quarter time after trailing at the main break, with their transition game a highlight. Byrne wasted little time adding another in the final quarter for his third of the day, while soon after, a slick chain of handballs through the corridor ended with Ashton Moir snapping his fourth goal on the run for a game-high lead. Footscray fought back late with six final-quarter goals to three, but Carlton had already done enough. Cody Walker added his first goal in Navy Blue with a clean running finish, as only inaccuracy prevented the Blues from a bigger margin than 20 points come the final siren. Blake Acres had 28 disposals in a strong all-round performance, while the key defensive pairing of Wade Derksen and Lewis Young combined for 25 marks. Famous Carlton names in Ben Camporeale, Cody Walker and Darcy Hogg all contributed strongly, while youngsters Ashton Moir and Talor Byrne shared seven goals between them.

Coaches MVP Award
10 - Wade Derksen (CARL)
7 - Lewis Young (CARL)
6 - Blake Acres (CARL)
3 - Ben Camporeale (CARL)
2 - Ashton Moir (CARL)
1 - Luke Cleary (FOOT)
1 - Liam Reidy (CARL)

Video

Round 9, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: M. Duffy (41), L. Young (33), D. Harvey (61)
HB: H. Charleson (28), J. Boyd (37), L. Prout (74)
C: D. Hogg (70), M. Cottrell (46), B. Acres (13)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), O. Warburton (62), C. Vickery (59)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), J. Sammartino (58)
R: L. Reidy (25), C. Chesser (31), B. Camporeale (16)
INT: T. Howard (80), J. Magor (52), W. Cookson (77), C. Walker (76), L. Farrar (75)
23rd Player: C. Walker (76)
EMG: A. Stevens (64), T. Logan (68), O. Badr (53), A. Davey (57), T. Evans (67), R. Corrigan (63), F. Riley (56), J. Rule (65)

IN: W. Cookson, L. Farrar, D. Harvey, T. Howard, J. Magor
OUT: T. Byrne (AFL), W. Derksen (AFL), C. Lord (concussion), W. Reinhold (injured), O. Badr (omitted)
NEW: Tom Howard, 22, 182cm, St Pauls McKinnon

Smithys Match Review Coburg put Carlton’s winning run to a halt while moving inside the top 10 in the process following an impressive 36-point victory at Barry Plant Park on Sunday. The Lions would not trail from start to finish, increasing their lead across the opening three quarters while keeping the in-form Blues to just three majors from 12 scoring shots in the same period of time. The Blues would boot seven final term goals but it didn’t stop Coburg from producing their third straight score of 110 points or greater. It was the Jaidyn Stephenson show inside 50, as he had nine scoring shots and kicked five goals for the second time in three weeks, he’s now booted 16 majors in his previous four games for Coburg. In the middle, Joel Trudgeon was brilliant with 31 disposals and and seven clearances whilst also kicking two goals. For Carlton, Ben Camporeale stood out with 31 touches, nine inside 50’s and a goal and Liam Farrer booted a team-high three majors.

Carlton's Match Review Carlton's winning run at VFL level came to an end in Round 9, with the VFL Blues going down to Coburg by 36 points. A heavily changed Blues line-up trailed from start to finish at Barry Plant Park, ultimately falling 16.14 (110) to 10.14 (74) on Vicki Cleary Day. Despite some promising individual performances and a spirited final term, the Blues were unable to generate any momentum when the game was on the line, missing some key experience from previous weeks. With the likes of Blake Acres, Wade Derksen and Cooper Lord out of the side, Carlton showed its intent early, with both Lewis Young and Dane Harvey needing to hold strong in the back half. The Blues’ first goal came through debutant Tom Howard, who reacted quickest at ground level to snap truly and open his account in Navy Blue. Ashton Moir added another highlight shortly after, taking a mark of the year contender inside 50 and converting to keep Carlton within reach.

Harry Charleson was influential off half-back, helping drive Carlton’s ball movement out of defence, but repeat entries meant the Blues were under increasing pressure. At quarter time, Carlton trailed by 20 points after conceding a late run of goals. Liam Farrar got Carlton moving early in the second term, finishing off a forward-50 opportunity to reduce the margin. The Blues continued to generate looks inside 50 through strong stoppage work from Cody Walker, who also spent time across half-back after the main break. However, inaccuracy and missed opportunities cost Carlton any chance at momentum heading into half time, trailing by five goals. The third quarter saw Carlton battle hard in the contest, with Ben Camporeale - who captained the side on the day - leading the way in the middle. The Blues once again had their looks, but could only muster four behinds in the third term as the home side kicked out to a game-high lead. Carlton’s response in the final quarter was strong and positive, producing a seven-goal burst that highlighted its ability to move the ball quickly and connect inside 50. Lachie Fogarty opened the scoring with a composed snap from a stoppage, before Farrar added his second after earning a 50-metre penalty. Tom Evans then followed up with his first major after a strong ground-ball effort, while Ben Camporeale rewarded his consistency with a goal of his own. Evans added another late, Howard finished with a second goal on debut, and Farrar capped off his performance with a third after linking up with Ashton Moir inside 50. Despite the final-term surge, the Blues left themselves too much to do in the 36-point defeat, bringing to an end a run of five consecutive wins. Camporeale was the Blues’ best on the day with 31 disposals, while Harry Charleson provided plenty of drive with 28 disposals. Farrar finished with three goals, while Dane Harvey impressed down back in his return to the side.

Coaches MVP Award
9 - Jaidyn Stephenson (COB)
7 - Jack Bytel (COB)
5 - Donovan Toohey (COB)
3 - Joel Trudgeon (COB)
2 - Ben Camporeale (CAR)
2 - Flynn Gentile (COB)
2 - Heath Ramshaw (COB)

Video

Round 10, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: M. Duffy (41), L. Young (33), W. Derksen (47)
HB: H. Charleson (28), J. Boyd (37), A. Saad (42)
C: C. Lord (36), M. Cottrell (46), C. Vickery (59)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), D. Hogg (70), Z. Williams (6)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), J. Sammartino (58)
R: F. Riley (38), C. Chesser (31), B. Camporeale (16)
INT: T. Howard (80), T. Logan (68), L. Prout (74), O. Warburton (62), L. Farrar (75)
23rd Player: L. Farrar (75)
EMG: A. Stevens (64), C. Hamilton (69), D. Harvey (61), A. Davey (57), T. Evans (67), W. Cookson (77), T. Gresham (78), J. Rule (65)

IN: W. Derksen, T. Logan, C. Lord, F. Riley, A. Saad, Z. Williams
OUT: L. Reidy (injured), J. Magor (knee), C. Walker (managed), W. Cookson, T. Evans, D. Harvey (omitted)

Smithys Match Review A powerful second half saw Geelong produce a score of 90 points or greater for the seventh time this season, this time defeating an in-form Carlton outfit by 50 points at Ikon Park. It took a while for the Cats to get going, as they trailed by seven points at quarter time despite registering more scoring shots and only led by 11 points at the main break despite keeping the home side goalless. But the Cats would illustrate why they could be the team to beat in 2026 with a scintillating third quarter which included nine goals, all but preventing Carlton from causing an upset. For the second time this season, Daniel Capiron kicked five majors, all of them coming in the second half, whilst three other teammates in Jamieson Ballantyne, Oli Wiltshire and Jack Bowes all booted three majors apiece, the latter adding to his terrific game with 28 disposals. Despite the loss of Marcus Herbert to West Coast in last week’s mid-season draft, George Stevens proved he had the ability to control the middle on his own as he had a game-high 41 disposals to go along with seven inside 50’s and six clearances. For Carlton, Cooper Lord was a standout with 26 disposals, seven tackles and three goals.

Carlton's Match Review

Truslove sees positives despite Geelong defeat
Damian Truslove's summary of VFL Round 10 action. - By Bailey Walsh. Carlton VFL Coach Damian Truslove believes there were positives to take from his side’s Round 10 clash with Geelong. Despite the 50-point loss and a costly third quarter, Truslove was encouraged by the Blues’ ability to compete with one of the competition’s strongest teams for much of the afternoon and praised the group's resilience.

On matching it with the best:
“I thought we took it to them for close to three quarters. Obviously, our third quarter was really disappointing; we couldn't stop their momentum, but for three quarters, we showed we could match one of the better teams. “They're a powerful team and have a hell of a lot of AFL experience in their midfield, which really hurt us today. I was proud of the boys for the way they fought out that fourth quarter.”

On pleasing signs to start the game:
“We spoke about the way we wanted to set the ground up, and the way we wanted to use the ball, and they were doing that. Our entries going inside 50 need to be a little bit better, to be a bit more powerful going inside 50. “Overall, we're happy with the way with the moving the ball, the way we were defending, the pressure we're putting on the opposition. But unfortunately, we couldn't maintain it for the whole game.”

On learning to halt momentum:
“I had a good chat to the boys then about when teams get momentum, what's our role to try and shut that down. We spoke about each line, what they could do to do that. “It's a good learning for our young group to say, well, the opposition's got momentum now, we need to shut the game down for five to eight minutes, and then hopefully change the momentum on the back of that.”

On character shown in the final quarter: <br. “We outscored them in the last quarter. The boys showed a lot of fight and character, that's two weeks in a row we've won last quarters when we're probably out of the game at three-quarter time. “We played our way [in the last quarter]: we need to take that into the Essendon game next Sunday, which will be another tough game for us.”

On finishing games the right way: >br> “It's so important. It shows a lot of character, it shows that the players really care, that they want to fight and they want to win.”

'On AFL returnees making their mark:
“It was great to have that experience out there with ‘Saady’ and ‘Lordy’. Zac Williams and Wade Derksen came back into the team. Those guys performed really strongly, and they'll put their hand up for AFL selection next week.”

Coaches MVP Award
10 - George Stevens (GEEL)
8 - Jack Bowes (GEEL)
6 - Oliver Wiltshire (GEEL)
4 - Cooper Lord (CARL)
1 - Daniel Capiron (GEEL)
1 - Matt Cottrell (CARL)

Video

Round 11, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: M. Duffy (41), L. Young (33), A. Stevens (64),
HB: H. Charleson (28), J. Boyd (37), A. Saad (42)
C: C. Lord (36), M. Cottrell (46), C. Vickery (59)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), D. Hogg (70), Z. Williams (6)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), J. Sammartino (58)
R: F. Riley (38), C. Chesser (31), B. Camporeale (16)
INT: S. Paea (66), T. Logan (68), L. Prout (74), O. Warburton (62), L. Farrar (75)
23rd Player: L. Farrar (75)
EMG: C. Hamilton (69), D. Harvey (61), A. Davey (57), T. Evans (67), W. Cookson (77), T. Gresham (78), J. Rule (65)

IN: S. Paea
OUT: T. Howard (hamstring), W. Dersksen (AFL)

Smithys Match Review Cooper Lord impressed again for Carlton with 28 disposals and seven tackles in its eight-point loss to Essendon on Saturday, but he was a little off-line with 1.3, including two behinds in the final quarter as the Blues tried to chase down the Dons. Lachie Fogarty was his side’s biggest ballwinner with 29 disposals, Ben Camporeale close behind with 27, and Zac Williams had 22 and six tackles. Matt Cottrell (17 disposals) and Hudson O'Keeffe (11) kicked two goals each. It was a dominant display in the air by big man Lewis Young, taking 14 marks to go with 21 touches. Former Eagle Campbell Chesser got amongst the action with 19 disposals, as did Jordan Boyd and Harry Charleson, while Ashton Moir finished with 13. Veteran Adam Saad (17 touches) was the only other senior-listed player in action.

Carlton's Match Review Inaccuracy costs Blues in nail-biting finish.
A summary of Round 11 VFL action. - By Bailey Walsh.

Inaccuracy in front of goal proved costly for the Carlton Reserves in a nail-biting finish at Windy Hill. Carlton generated enough opportunities to win the game late, but were unable to fully capitalise on their dominance when the game was up for grabs in the 14.9 (93) to 11.19 (85) defeat. Essendon opened the scoring after controlling early territory. Still, Carlton responded through a quick snap under pressure from Ben Camporeale, who found Hudson O'Keeffe close to goal for the Blues’ first. Oliver Warburton then kicked a strong running goal as Carlton began to work into the contest. A strong mark from Sam Paea resulted in his first goal of the year, returning from a knee injury suffered in the pre-season, as Carlton briefly regained the lead. Despite Carlton’s improved ball movement, Essendon finished the quarter strongly to take a 15-point lead at quarter-time, despite both sides having the same amount of scoring shots. Carlton struggled for clean execution early in the second quarter, with both sides finding it scrappy. The Blues responded through Cooper Lord, whose clever kick out of congestion found Matt Cottrell, who converted to bring the margin back. Essendon kicked consecutive goals to push the lead to a game-high 28 points, but Carlton worked its way back into the game through pressure and territory. Playing in a new role across half-back, Ashton Moir’s composure through traffic set up Logan Prout, before Cooper Lord snapped truly after strong forward-half pressure. Taj Logan then added another quick goal before Sam Paea’s second major brought Carlton back within 12 points at half-time, with the Blues gaining momentum heading into the main break.

Essendon again struck first in the third quarter to extend the margin, but Carlton responded through Matt Cottrell, who snapped brilliantly from the pocket to keep the Blues within reach. Taj Logan then delivered inside 50 to Liam Farrar, who couldn’t convert, as Carlton continued to generate chances but couldn’t fully punish the Bombers. Essendon then took control late in the term with two consecutive goals, stretching the margin to 25 points at three-quarter time despite Carlton staying competitive in general play. Carlton’s pressure lifted significantly in the final quarter, with sustained forward-half dominance creating wave after wave of opportunities. Zac Williams delivered a bullet inside 50 to Hudson O'Keeffe, who converted to open the term for the Blues. Moments later, Zac Williams again drove the ball forward, this time finding Liam Farrar, who kicked truly to cut the margin to nine points. Logan Prout then added another as Carlton surged hard, reducing the gap to just three points and putting real pressure on the Bombers. However, Carlton’s inaccuracy ultimately proved costly. Zac Williams hit the post from a set shot, and Ashton Moir narrowly missed from a quick snap as the Blues closed in but couldn’t quite complete the comeback. Essendon steadied late with a goal after 26 minutes to seal an eight-point win. Carlton finished with 11.19, having generated far more opportunities than the scoreboard suggested, but were left to rue missed chances in a game that saw them register 70 more disposals, 25 more inside 50s and seven more scoring shots. Carlton’s best players included Lachie Fogarty (29 disposals), Cooper Lord (28 disposals, one goal), Darcy Hogg (28 disposals), Ben Camporeale (27 disposals), Zac Williams (22 disposals, six tackles), Lewis Young (21 disposals, 14 marks), and Matt Cottrell (17 disposals, two goals).

Coaches MVP Award 9 - Thomas Edwards (ESS)
8 - Jackson Hately (ESS)
4 - Jordan Ridley (ESS)
3 - Lewis Young (CARL)
2 - Lachie Fogarty (CARL)
2 - Tyler Sellers (ESS)
1 - Darcy Hogg (CARL)
1 - Cooper Lord (CARL)

Video

Round 12, 2026.

BYE

Round 13, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: M. Duffy (41), L. Young (33), D. Harvey (61)
HB: H. Charleson (28), J. Boyd (37), A. Saad (42)
C: L. Camporeale (21), O. Hollands (4), C. Vickery (59)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), D. Hogg (70), Z. Williams (6)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), F. Young (45)
R: F. Riley (38), C. Chesser (31), C. Lord (36)
INT: S. Paea (66), T. Logan (68), L. Prout (74), C. Cotter (72), L. Farrar (75)
23rd Player: C. Cotter (72)
EMG: O. Badr (53), W. Cookson (77), J. Sammartino (58), A. Davey (57), T. Evans (67), J. Rule (65), T. Gresham (78), W. Reinhold (60)

IN: L. Camporeale, C. Cotter, O. Hollands, F. Young
OUT: M. Cottrell (AFL), B. Camporeale (hamstring), O. Warburton (wrist), J. Sammartino (omitted)
NEW: Charlie Cotter, 19, 178cm, Uni Blues/Claremont

Head-to-head: Carlton 2-1;
At ENGIE Stadium: GWS Giants 1-0;
Streak: Carlton 1;
Last time: GWS Giants 14.9 (93) def by Carlton 17.12 (114) – Round 15, 2024, Blacktown International Sports Park

Smithys Match Review
GWS Giants recorded their highest score and biggest winning margin of the season after a 69-point thumping of Carlton at ENGIE Stadium. Having proven the ability to kick high scores this year, the Giants were on song from start to finish, leading for all but two minutes of the contest and kicking 11 first half majors before booting 13 goals in the final two quarters to produce their largest score since joining the Smithy’s VFL in 2021. Contributing the biggest score of the afternoon was Ryan Hebron who slammed home a career-high five majors, whilst teammates Hugo Birks and Riley Hamilton each finished with four goals. James Bell and Jack Ough were kept busy in the midfield and each finished with seven clearances, Bell also hitting the scoreboard for the fourth consecutive week. Darcy Hogg finished with 27 disposals and seven inside 50’s for the Blues while ruckman Flynn Riley maintained his status as one of the more dominant rucks in the game, finishing with 53 hit outs and 19 possessions.

Carlton's Match Review Giants Give Carlton the Blues in the VFL
A brilliant first half set the foundations for an impressive win in the VFL on Saturday. - By Giants Media.

Carlton’s VFL side woke up with the blues on Sunday after a huge first half from the GIANTS led by skipper Ryan Hebron set the foundations for an emphatic 69-point win at ENGIE Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Played prior to the AFL clash between the clubs, a dominant opening half was the catalyst for the huge win, with the GIANTS kicking nine unanswered goals in an unstoppable stretch across the first and second terms to hold a commanding 40-point half-time lead. Smelling blood in the water, the GIANTS didn’t let up after the main break as they piled on another seven goals to two in the third term before cruising to a monster 24.11 (155) to 12.14 (86) win at home. Despite fielding just nine AFL-listed players to the Blues’ 15, the GIANTS proved too good across all three lines, with the backline defending brilliantly across the day while the connection between the mids and the forward line was close to its best. Hebron (15 disposals, eight marks, five goals) and the sole inclusion, Hugo Birks (10 disposals, six marks, four goals), feasted up forward in the win, with the key forward duo combining for nine goals in a powerful double act in attack. The huge win was set up by a brilliant first term for the GIANTS who came out firing with six goals to two in the opening term to jump out to a 25-point lead. Hebron outscored the visitors on his own in a brilliant first term to inspire his side early on, taking a pair of big contested grabs and kicking three goals to assert himself as the dominant force on the ground. The GIANTS weren’t done after their red-hot first term as the orange tsunami continued to surge with five unanswered goals to open the second quarter in a sparkling display of GIANTS footy. Up by 40 at the main break following their first-half dominance, the GIANTS extended that to 70 at the final change as Hebron and Birks continued to finish off the brilliance of their teammates further afield with four goals between them in the term. After a mini Blues blitz saw the visitors kick the opening three goals of the final quarter, it was soon back to regular programming as the GIANTS kicked six unanswered goals in the middle of the term to cap off an outstanding performance at home.

Coaches MVP Award
10 - Jack Ough (GWS)
7 - Riley Hamilton (GWS)
4 - Harvey Hooper (GWS)
3 - James Bell (GWS)
3 - Ryan Hebron (GWS)
2 - Liam Farrar (CARL)
1 - Oliver Hollands (CARL)

Video

Round 14, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: M. Duffy (41), L. Young (33), D. Harvey (61)
HB: H. Charleson (28), J. Boyd (37), A. Saad (42)
C: L. Camporeale (21), O. Hollands (4), D. Tucker (50)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), D. Hogg (70), Z. Williams (6)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), F. Young (45)
R: F. Riley (38), C. Chesser (31), C. Lord (36)
INT: S. Paea (66), T. Logan (68), L. Prout (74), T. Gresham (78), L. Farrar (75)
23rd Player: T. Gresham (78)
EMG: O. Badr (53), W. Reinhold (60), J. Sammartino (58), A. Davey (57), T. Evans (67), J. Rule (65), C. Vickery (59), C. Cotter (72)

IN: L. Fogarty, T. Gresham, D. Tucker
OUT: W. Cookson, C. Cotter, C. Vickery (omitted)

Head-to-head: Werribee 5-2;
At IKON Park: Werribee 3-1;
Streak: Werribee 2;
Last time: Werribee 14.10 (94) def Carlton 9.8 (62) – Round 6, 2024, Avalon Airport Oval

Smithys Match Review
Werribee fought off a Carlton comeback to jump into second on the Smithy’s VFL ladder, winning by seven points at IKON Park on Saturday. The Tigers started the contest brilliantly with three opening quarter majors whilst keeping the Blues without a goal. Their quarter time lead would decrease slightly to 15 points by half time but the difference could have been slimmer if not for some missed chances but the home side. Inaccuracy would hurt both sides in the third term, particularly the visitors who kicked 1.4 and missed an opportunity to create a more comfortable advantage heading into the final term. It would allow the Blues to make a run in the final quarter as two goals in a minute of play saw them hit the front at the five-minute mark before Werribee aimed to settle with back-to-back goals of their own shortly afterwards. Carlton would charge again with consecutive majors to reduce the deficit to just one point deep into time on before a fourth major from Brady Wright iced the game and made it six games unbeaten for the club. Wright’s four majors as well as 27 disposals and eight inside 50s from Sam Donegan were critical in the victory for the away side whilst Cooper Lord (31 disposals, eight inside 50s, one goal) and Lewis Young (22 disposals, 10 marks, eight intercepts) stood tall for Carlton.

Carlton's Match Review Blues fall short in fierce Werribee battle Carlton's VFL side fell just short in a tight seven-point loss to Werribee. - By Bailey Walsh.

The Carlton Reserves fell just short in a tight seven-point loss to Werribee at IKON Park on Saturday morning. The Blues overrun late after a see-sawing final quarter that saw the lead change hands multiple times, in the 8.11 (59) to 9.12 (66) defeat. It was a scrappy and even start to the contest, with plenty of play between the arcs and neither side able to generate consistent potency going inside 50. Werribee struck first and gradually built control through territory, adding a second as Carlton struggled to find clean ball movement forward of centre. The Blues went into the first change trailing by 18 points after a low-scoring opening term. Carlton responded strongly in the second quarter, with a pair of former Werribee premiership players opening the team’s account. Sam Paea earned a high-contact free kick and converted to get the Blues on the board, before Flynn Young followed up soon after with a composed finish on the run to reduce the margin and inject life into the Blues. Lewis Young was particularly important in defence during this period, cutting off several Werribee entries and helping the Blues regain some control. However, after Carlton’s mini-revival, Werribee steadied and responded with two goals of their own to maintain their advantage. Carlton’s forward pressure lifted noticeably, but the Blues still went into half-time trailing by 15 points.

The third quarter saw momentum swing both ways. Werribee extended its lead early before Cooper Lord responded in style, converting after earning a 50-metre penalty to bring the margin back to 17 points. After starting the game down back, Ashton Moir swung forward and produced a strong one-on-one win to cut the deficit further, while Logan Prout’s work off half-back stood out as he repeatedly intercepted and drove the ball forward. Carlton continued to chip away but still entered the final break trailing by 10 points in a game still very much alive. The Blues surged in the final term, with Flynn Young’s pressure resulting in a holding-the-ball free kick which he converted to bring the margin back to just four points. Carlton then produced its best passage of play for the day, starting with a Jordan Boyd intercept that sparked a slick end-to-end movement as the Blues hit the front for the first time. Werribee responded immediately, reclaiming the lead before pushing it out to 11 points midway through the term. Sam Paea’s second goal brought Carlton back within striking distance, and Liam Farrar then converted to reduce the margin to just one point with minutes remaining. Despite the Blues’ continued pressure and effort, Werribee held firm in the final moments and sealed the win with a late goal. Cooper Lord (31 disposals) and Oliver Hollands (30) led the way from a disposals point of view, while Darcy Tucker was a welcome returnee with 29 disposals. Lewis Young was named the Blues’ best in a strong defensive display, while Jordan Boyd overcame a shoulder concern last week to be one of the Blues’ strongest performers with 26 disposals.

Despite defeat, Truslove proud of response
'Damian Truslove sums up the Round 14 VFL clash with Werribee. - By Bailey Walsh

Carlton Reserves Coach Damian Truslove was pleased with his side's response despite Saturday's loss to Werribee. Praising the group's renewed intensity, commitment to its values, Truslove spoke of the belief the performance can provide heading into next week's clash with Richmond.

Thoughts on the performance: "I was really proud of the boys. We had a big week on the track, and a strong focus on being more competitive and getting back to our values. "The boys brought that on the weekend really well: they fought hard and fought the game right out. Unfortunately, we were a bit inaccurate in front of goal, but other than that, it was a good effort."

The week's focus: "We had some honest conversations on Monday around where we're at individually and collectively, and the boys were really good about that. We built the week really well. We had two good sessions on Tuesday and Thursday, prepared well and subsequently played a pretty strong game."

On seeing a response: " I thought it was led by our skipper today, Darcy Tucker. Having him back in the team, he leads by high standards, and I thought our older boys really stood up today. Jordan Boyd, Lewis Young, Cooper Lord and Lachie Fogarty, these experienced players were really influential in the game."

What stood out most: "It was probably our ability to put pressure on the opposition and take away their game, to pressure them and then get territory on the back of that. “Unfortunately, we kicked far too many points again, but we'll get to work on that this week. If we bring that effort and intensity most weeks, we'll win a lot of games."

Building belief: "It gives them confidence too, and belief. We had a good run about six weeks ago. We won five in a row, and the boys probably lost a bit of confidence in the last month. But today they got a bit back, and we'll look forward to Richmond next week."

Standout performers: " I thought Lewis Young, Adam Saad and Jordan Boyd down back. Cooper Lord, Lachie Fogarty and Darcy Tucker in the midfield fought really hard, and I thought our wingers – Lucas Camporeale and Campbell Chesser - were solid.”

Focus ahead of Richmond: "It'll be a similar focus. We'll continue to drive our values and the team-first mindset. If we bring that intensity and effort that we did today, we'll be in the game."

Coaches MVP Award
7 - Cooper Lord (CARL)
7 - Brady Wright (WERR)
6 - Darcy Tucker (CARL)
5 - Jaelen Pavlidis (WERR)
3 - Lachie Fogarty (CARL)
1 - Jesse Clark (WERR)
1 - Jack Riding (WERR)

Video

Round 15, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: M. Duffy (41), W. Cookson (77), D. Harvey (61)
HB: H. Charleson (28), J. Boyd (37), A. Saad (42)
C: L. Camporeale (21), B. Acres (13), B. Camporeale (16)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), D. Tucker (50), Z. Williams (6)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), F. Young (45)
R: F. Riley (38), C. Chesser (31), C. Lord (36)
INT: S. Paea (66), D. Hogg (70), L. Prout (74), T. Gresham (78), L. Farrar (75)
23rd Player: T. Gresham (78)
EMG: O. Badr (53), J. Sammartino (58), A. Davey (57), T. Howard (80), J. Rule (65), H. Wilson (72), C. Cotter (72)

IN: B. Acres, B. Camporeale, Z. Williams, W. Cookson
OUT: O. Hollands (AFL), L. Young (AFL), T. Logan (suspended), W. Reinhold (calf)

Head-to-head: Carlton 13-7-1;
At IKON Park: Tied 2-2;
Streak: Richmond 2;
Last time: Carlton 12.13 (85) def by Richmond 14.10 (94) – Round 21, 2024, IKON Park

Smithys Match Review
A six-goal-to-none last quarter helped Carlton to a 35-point win over Richmond on Saturday. Cooper Lord led the way with 26 disposals, five tackles, six clearances and a goal, while father-son product Ben Camporeale matched Lord's 26 disposals while adding five tackles and six clearances and brother Lucas Camporeale gathered 20 disposals and four marks. Up forward, Ashton Moir was a standout with two goals to go with his 17 disposals and seven marks. Lachie Fogarty (27 disposals, six marks, seven clearances), Campbell Chesser (22 disposals, six marks), Zac Williams (13 disposals, five tackles), Jordan Boyd (18 disposals, eight marks, five tackles) and Flynn Young (nine disposals) each kicked a goal. Hudson O'Keeffe also chipped in with a goal to go with his 10 hitouts and eight touches, Harry Charleson was busy with 23 disposals, while veteran Adam Saad finished with 19 touches and five marks. Matt Duffy (seven disposals) was the only other AFL-listed Blue in action.

Carlton's Match Review Final-quarter surge sets up Reserves win
The Carlton Reserves produced a commanding final-quarter surge at IKON Park to defeat Richmond by 36 points. - By Bailey Walsh.

Carlton produced a commanding final-quarter surge at IKON Park to defeat Richmond by 36 points. In a Round 15 clash that ebbed and flowed across four quarters before the Blues broke the game open late, the Carlton Reserves returned to the winner’s list with a 15.12 (103) to 10.7 (67) win. With the likes of Lachie Fogarty (27 disposals, one goal), Cooper Lord (26 disposals, one goal) and Darcy Tucker (29 disposals, one goal) standing up, the Blues managed to overcome a narrow deficit at the final change to kick the final eight goals of the game – six of those in the last term. The Blues set the tone early through Lachie Fogarty, who opened the scoring just two minutes into the contest after strong forward-half pressure created the opportunity. Carlton’s intent around the contest was clear from the outset, with repeated forward entries and aggressive ball movement putting Richmond under sustained pressure. Jordan Boyd added to the early momentum after drawing a 50-metre penalty, converting his first goal of the season and helping the Blues establish early control on the scoreboard. Richmond, however, responded quickly with two consecutive goals as Carlton’s inside-50 connection momentarily wavered despite its territorial dominance. Darcy Tucker steadied for the Blues with a composed finish before Ashton Moir produced a moment of class, snapping truly through traffic to restore momentum. Flynn Riley also impressed with a strong contested mark inside 50 but was unable to convert, and Richmond managed to claw back late in the term, trimming the margin to just three points at quarter time. Ashton Moir continued to influence the contest early in the second term, winning a high free kick and launching a long-range goal from outside 50 to extend Carlton’s advantage. The Blues continued to generate momentum, with Flynn Riley dominating in the ruck and giving his midfielders first use. Sam Paea took an old-fashioned hanger inside 50 and converted to further stretch the lead, before Campbell Chesser then got on the end of a sharp Lucas Camporeale delivery inside 50, finishing cleanly to push Carlton out to a 19-point buffer and appear in control.

But Richmond again wrestled momentum away with a powerful burst of four unanswered goals in quick succession. Carlton’s pressure remained strong, but the Tigers were clinical going forward, punishing turnovers and finishing efficiently to take the lead late in the first half. Despite the Blues’ strong early work, Richmond went into half-time narrowly ahead. The third quarter developed into a tough arm-wrestle. Carlton worked hard to generate repeat entries but struggled to convert field position into scoreboard impact, while Richmond again proved more efficient with its chances, extending the margin out to 13 points. In response, Liam Farrar provided a crucial lift for the Blues, taking two strong contested marks inside 50 and converting both opportunities with composure. His efforts dragged Carlton right back into the contest on the scoreboard and reduced the margin to just two points heading into the final change. With the game on the line, Carlton produced its most complete and ruthless quarter of the day. Cooper Lord ignited the surge with a clever snap from stoppage to put the Blues back in front early in the final term. Moments later, Cooper Lord was again involved, delivering a key clearance that set up Flynn Young for his first goal of the afternoon. From there, Carlton seized full control of the contest. Zac Williams added an important major as the Blues’ confidence lifted, before Hudson O'Keeffe extended the margin further with another composed finish. Lucas Camporeale continued his growing influence on the game, as Liam Farrar capped off a strong performance with his third goal while Will Cookson added the finishing touch late as Carlton piled on six unanswered goals to close out the match in dominant fashion. The final term showcased Carlton at its most efficient, combining clean stoppage work, defensive pressure and sharp execution going forward to completely overwhelm the Tigers and turn a tight contest into a comfortable victory. It was a strong all-round performance from the Blues, recording 12 individual goalkickers and finishing with a 36-point win in what was nominally an ‘away’ game at IKON Park.

How every AFL Blue performed in VFL Round 15
Damian Truslove speaks on the performances of every AFL-listed Blue in their Round 15 clash with Richmond. - By Bailey Walsh.

6. Zac Williams
13 disposals, five tackles, one goal - Zac Williams played across half-back, and every time he got the ball, he was involved with a positive chain for us from an offensive point of view. He was an outstanding leader on the day, looking after our young backs, and he also halved a couple of critical contests late in the game.

8. Lachie Fogarty
28 disposals, seven clearances, one goal - ‘Fog’ had an outstanding game. He played across half-forward and found plenty of the ball and was very clean with his possessions. He also worked really hard to get back and support our defence.

16. Ben Camporeale
27 disposals, six clearances, five tackles - Benny played in the midfield, and he had a good balance of winning the ball inside and outside the contest while he also tackled well. It was his first game back post-hamstring injury, and he got through.

21. Lucas Camporeale
26 disposals, four marks, four inside 50s - For Lucas, it was only his second game back from a long-term injury, and he played on the wing. His running patterns were excellent, both when it came to going forward to challenge the opposition and also to run back to support our defence. He also got many handball receives with his hard running and intensity.

28. Harry Charleson
22 disposals, three marks - ‘Gaz’ played across half-back again: he's finding a lot of the football consistently this year, giving us a lot of rebound 50s while his ball use continues to improve. The impressive thing is that in his last two games, he's been stronger defensively.

31. Campbell Chesser
22 disposals, six marks, one goal - Chesser had a strong game on the wing. He had a good balance of winning the ball inside and outside of the contest and used the ball better this week, and also his patterns to support our defence were very good.

36. Cooper Lord
27 disposals, six clearances, one goal - ‘Lordy’ played in the midfield and had an outstanding game. He was hard and tough in the contest and also got involved on the outside of the contest as well, while he showed fantastic leadership on the day.

37. Jordan Boyd
18 disposals, eight marks, one goal - ‘Boydy’ played a combination of half-back and half-forward this week. I thought he ran hard to support contest, halved a lot of critical one-on-one contests in our defensive 50, and was also a strong leader on the day.

38. Flynn Riley
17 disposals, 43 hitouts, five clearances - Flynn obviously played the majority of the game in the ruck. We were +28 in hitouts, so he gave our midfielders first use at stoppage, while he also took a couple of strong contested marks. He continues to improve.

40. Hudson O'Keeffe
Eight disposals, 10 hitouts, one goal - ‘Skull’ played the majority of the game as a key forward and a little bit of time in the ruck. In the ruck, his jump and follow-up were very good. As a key forward, his positioning to provide an outlet for us coming out of defensive 50 was better, and he halved a lot of critical aerial contests.

41. Matt Duffy
Seven disposals, two marks - ‘Duff’ played in the back line this week. He is learning his craft, but I thought that he had a strong emphasis on getting his defence right first, and his positioning continues to improve.

42. Adam Saad
22 disposals, six marks, seven intercepts - ‘Saady’ played across half-back, and I thought he was excellent defensively. He supported our defensive 50, halving a number of critical contests, while he created some really good forward-half turnovers. On the back of that, he gave us a bit of bounce with his speed.

43. Ashton Moir
18 disposals, eight marks, two goals - Ash Moir played two roles, playing forward and also on the wing. His running patterns as a winger were very good to support defence, and up forward, he showed some of his exciting traits which we love when it came to his ability to be clean and also to hit the scoreboard.

45. Flynn Young
Nine disposals, two tackles, one goal - Flynn Young played across half-forward. He ran really hard two ways to support our defence and also to challenge deep forward where he's really dangerous. His crumbing, positioning and his pressure in our forward 50 were also improved.

Coaches MVP Award 9 - Lachie Fogarty (CARL)
6 - Cooper Lord (CARL)
5 - Darcy Tucker (CARL)
3 - Jordan Boyd (CARL)
3 - Mutaz El Nour (RICH)
2 - Adam Saad (CARL)
1 - Nicholas Collier (RICH)
1 - Flynn Riley (CARL)

Video

Round 16, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: J. Sammartino (58), D. Harvey (61), J. Boyd (37)
HB: H. Charleson (28), Z. Williams (6), A. Saad (42)
C: L. Camporeale (21), B. Acres (13), C. Chesser (31)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), F. Young (45), D. Hogg (70)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), J. Rule (65)
R: L. Reidy (25), B. Camporeale (16), C. Lord (36)
INT: S. Paea (66), A. Davey (57), L. Prout (74), T. Gresham (78), T. Logan (68)
23rd Player: T. Gresham (78)
EMG: O. Badr (53), W. Cookson (77), R. Corrigan (63), J. O'Sullivan (54), C. Cotter (72), H. Wilson (72)

IN: B. Acres, A. Davey, T. Logan, L. Reidy, J. Rule
OUT: F. Riley (AFL), M. Duffy (managed), L. Farrar (concussion), D. Tucker (injured), W. Cookson (omitted)
NEW: Alwyn Davey Jnr, 22, 181cm, Essendon AFL/Old Xaverians

Head-to-head:
Box Hill Hawks 6-1;
At Box Hill City Oval: Tied 1-1;
Streak: Box Hill Hawks 1;
Last time: Carlton 11.14 (80) def Box Hill Hawks 12.4 (76) – Round 1, 2025, Box Hill City Oval

Smithys Match Review
Carlton produced the upset of the round to conclude Round 16, proving too strong for top four side Box Hill in a 23-point triumph at Box Hill City Oval. The Hawks would lead this match for only four minutes, as the Blues got to work early, registering nine consecutive scoring shots throughout the first and second quarters to lead by 29 points at quarter time and 28 points at the main break. The away side’s advantage would not be threatened thereafter, with the margin never dipping below 20 points as the Blues recorded another huge win to be back in the top 10 race. Lachie Fogarty (32 disposals, eight clearances, six intercepts) was brilliant in his side’s victory while Flynn Young booted three majors and Zac Williams had 11 intercepts from his 23 disposals down back. Cody Anderson was one of Box Hill’s more consistent players for the afternoon, finishing with 22 disposals, nine inside 50s, five tackles and also popping up for two majors. The ruck battle between Liam Reidy and Max Ramsden was also a highlight, each finishing with 22 disposals and both men hitting the scoreboard.

Carlton's Match Review
Blues conquer conditions to claim second straight win
The Carlton Reserves overcame challenging conditions to record a hard-fought 23-point victory over Box Hill. - By Bailey Walsh.

The Carlton Reserves overcame challenging conditions at Box Hill City Oval to record a hard-fought 23-point victory over Box Hill in Round 16. With strong winds and persistent rain making clean football difficult throughout the afternoon, the Blues were able to consolidate an excellent start to emerge with a 12.12 (84) to 9.7 (61) victory. With the likes of Lachie Fogarty (32 disposals), Zac Williams (21 disposals) and Flynn Young (three goals) impressing, it was a true team effort from the Blues in a game which quickly developed into a fierce battle around the contest. Kicking with the breeze in the opening and third terms, the Blues made the most of their opportunities, using quick ball movement and overlap run early to create scoring chances before relying on their defensive resilience late to secure the four points. Despite Box Hill opening the scoring against the breeze, Carlton responded immediately. Hudson O'Keeffe put the Blues in front after receiving a free kick deep inside forward 50, before Liam Reidy made an immediate impact in his return, gathering the ball from a ruck contest and snapping through Carlton's second goal within a minute. The Blues had control for the rest of the first term, as Flynn Young produced a classy running snap before turning provider for the excellent Sam Paea to extend the Blues’ lead. After a second goal to Hudson O'Keeffe, Carlton had opened up a commanding 29-point lead at quarter time. Carlton's momentum continued after the first break through debutant Alwyn Davey, who capped off a brilliant end-to-end passage of play with his first goal in Navy Blue. Although Box Hill ended Carlton's run of five consecutive goals, the Blues continued to find answers.

Taj Logan produced one of the highlights of the afternoon, throwing himself at the ball for a desperate smother before following up to kick the loose ball out of mid-air for a sensational goal. Flynn Young added his second goal soon after as Carlton extended its advantage to 36 points before the Hawks reduced the margin with the final goal of the half. The difficult conditions continued to shape the contest after the main break. Box Hill hit back against the breeze to reduce the margin, before Liam Reidy again showcased his ruck craft, snapping his second goal directly from a ruck contest inside forward 50. Logan Prout continued his impressive afternoon with a strong contested mark in a pack before converting his second major, with Carlton maintaining control of the contest, thanks to the efforts of Jordan Boyd, Adam Saad and Zac Williams behind the ball. A late Box Hill goal trimmed Carlton’s lead to five goals at the final change, with the last quarter turning into a genuine arm wrestle. Stoppages dominated play as both sides battled slippery conditions, with the Blues’ defence standing tall under sustained pressure to repeatedly repel the Hawks’ attacks. After 15 goalless minutes, Flynn Young provided the breakthrough with a classy finish for his third of the afternoon, extending Carlton's lead beyond five goals. Although Box Hill responded with two late majors, the Blues remained composed in the final minutes, controlling field position and defending resolutely to close out an impressive 23-point victory. Sam Paea was outstanding and was named best on ground after an influential performance at both ends of the ground, rotating between the forward line and as a loose man in defence. Lachie Fogarty continued his strong form with a game-high 32 disposals, while Blake Acres (26), Jordan Boyd (23), Ben Camporeale (22) and Zac Williams (21) all played important roles through the midfield and across half-back. Up forward, Flynn Young finished with three goals from 15 disposals, while Hudson O'Keeffe, Liam Reidy and Prout each booted two majors in a balanced attacking display as the Blues recorded an important win away from home against a top-four opponent.

How every AFL Blue performed in VFL Round 16
Damian Truslove speaks on the performances of every AFL-listed Blue in their Round 16 win against Box Hill. - By Bailey Walsh

6. Zac Williams
23 disposals, 11 intercepts, four rebound 50s - Zac Williams played across half-back and got up the ground a bit to give us drive. It was a really strong performance from Zac on the back of strong leadership: his contest method and defence positioning were very good.

8. Lachie Fogarty
32 disposals, seven clearances, six inside 50s - ‘Fog’ played in the midfield this week and found plenty of the ball. He was clean, he helped set up our structures around stoppages and was influential in us having a huge win at centre bounces where we were +14 for the day.

13. Blake Acres
28 disposals, five clearances - Blake played as an inside mid this week and found plenty of the ball. He was a strong leader on the day and he helped us play in different modes with our ball movement, while his decisions to support our defence were very good.

16. Ben Camporeale
23 disposals, seven tackles, five clearances - Benny Campo played in the midfield, and he was hard and tough around the stoppages. He was another midfielder that was really influential at centre bounce and his pressure around the source was excellent and he fought hard for four quarters.

21. Lucas Camporeale
20 disposals, three marks, three intercepts - Lucas played on the wing as well, he held good width on the wing and also worked back hard to support our defence. He set up really well at stoppages and continues to work on his skill execution.

25. Liam Reidy
15 disposals, 22 hitouts, seven clearances, two goals - Reidy had an outstanding first game back after a long injury break. He gave us first use particularly at centre bounce and his follow-up around stoppages was aggressive. He played big and he led the way with his voice and leadership.

28. Harry Charleson
21 disposals, seven intercepts, four inside 50s - ‘Gaz’ played across halfback as well. He’s in good form, playing consistent footy. He's finding plenty of the ball, giving us plenty of drive and changing angles off half-back: his defence and contest method continues to improve with hard work.

31. Campbell Chesser
15 disposals, six marks, four intercepts - Chesser played on the wing and ran hard defensively to support our defence, but also held really good shape on the outside of contest. He also showed some improvement with his ability to drive legs and power to go forward.

37. Jordan Boyd
22 disposals, seven inside 50s, six marks - ‘Boydy’ played across half-back, he gave us a lot of drive and bounce off halfback. He was a good leader on the day and halved many critical contests.

40. Hudson O'Keeffe
11 disposals, two goals, 11 hitouts - ‘Skull’ played as a key forward and second ruck and his ruck craft was really strong, giving us good territory from stoppages. As a key forward, he provided an outlet for us when we were exiting our backline and competed hard at all his aerial contests.

42. Adam Saad
19 disposals, six marks, five intercepts - ‘Saady’ was very similar to 'Boydy' and Zac Williams - the three of them gave us plenty of bounce off half-back. His experience was influential, particularly in the last quarter when the game got close. He gave away a lot of height on his opponent and managed to beat taller opponents on the day.

43. Ashton Moir
Six disposals, two tackles, two marks - Ash played predominantly as a key forward and he provided us an option when we went into our forward 50. His defensive pressure has improved, and he continues to work on his leading patterns.

45. Flynn Young
15 disposals, three goals, six inside 50s - Flynn Young played across half-forward and he got up the ground to support our defence, then got dangerous running back towards goal. He hit the scoreboard with three goals, while his pressure in and around contests in our forward 50 has improved.

Coaches MVP Award
10 - Lachie Fogarty (CARL)
7 - Liam Reidy (CARL)
6 - Blake Acres (CARL)
3 - Jordan Boyd (CARL)
2 - Zac Williams (CARL)
1 - Finn Maginness (BHH)
1 - Flynn Young (CARL)

Video

Round 17, 2026.

BYE

Round 18, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: J. Sammartino (58), D. Harvey (61), J. Boyd (37)
HB: H. Charleson (28), Z. Williams (6), A. Saad (42)
C: L. Camporeale (21), J. Rule (65), M. Duffy (41)
HF: L. Fogarty (8), F. Young (45), J. Ison (30)
F: L. Farrar (75), H. O'Keeffe (40), F. Riley (38)
R: L. Reidy (25), B. Camporeale (16), O. Hollands (4)
INT: S. Paea (66), A. Davey (57), L. Prout (74), T. Gresham (78), T. Logan (68)
23rd Player: T. Gresham (78)
EMG: T. Howard (80), W. Cookson (77), R. Corrigan (63), O. Warburton (62), J. O'Sullivan (54), C. Cotter (72), O. Badr (53), H. Wilson (81)

IN: M. Duffy, L. Farrar, O. Hollands, J. Ison, F. Riley
OUT: B. Acres (AFL), C. Chesser (injured), D. Hogg (wrist), A. Moir (injured), C. Cotter (omitted)

Head-to-head:
Tied 2-2;
At IKON Park: Tied 1-1;
Streak: Carlton 1;
Last time: Carlton 12.16 (88) def Gold Coast Suns 9.10 (64) – Round 20, 2025, IKON Park

Smithys Match Review
A third win on the trot has kept Carlton’s finals hopes intact as they came from behind to defeat Gold Coast by 18 points at Ikon Park. The Blues were on the back foot for much of the first half as the Suns kicked four opening term goals to lead by 13 points at the first change, and got out to a game-high 19-point advantage early in the second quarter before the home side took charge of the game and reduced their deficit to just one-point by half time. The margin would stay at single figures for the entirety of the third term before Carlton kicked three of the final four majors of the match to run away with the victory. Ben Camporeale’s consistent season extended into another week after a game that included 30 disposals and six clearances, meanwhile Oliver Hollands was terrific with 28 touches, 10 tackles and five inside 50s. Liam Farrar kicked three goals for the Blues as did Jamarra Ugle-Hagan for the Suns, the latter also having five score involvements for his side. Others to perform for the visitors included Sam Clohesy (32 disposals, eight intercepts, seven rebound 50s) and Jarrod Witts (35 hit outs, 17 disposals, seven score involvements.

Carlton's Match Review
Blues storm home to defeat Suns Carlton's VFL side produced a big win to keep their season alive against Gold Coast. - By Bailey Walsh.

Carlton produced a composed second-half performance to overturn an early deficit and defeat Gold Coast by 18 points at IKON Park. Claiming an important victory to keep their season alive, a much-changed Blues outfit found a way to win in the 12.5 (77) to 7.17 (59) triumph, with the likes of Adam Saad, Jordan Boyd, Oliver Hollands and Ben Camporeale stepping up. Gold Coast made the early running, moving the ball end-to-end to kick the opening goal before adding another midway through the quarter to establish an early lead. Jordan Boyd provided plenty of drive from half-back throughout the opening term, while the Blues found a spark through Alwyn Davey, who kicked Carlton’s first two goals. His second goal came after Jack Ison produced a clever tap that fell perfectly into his path, with the lively forward finishing brilliantly on the run to keep the Blues in touch. Gold Coast extended its advantage early in the second term, but Carlton gradually took control around the contest. Ison delivered a beautiful pass inside 50 to Tom Howard for another goal assist, as the Blues’ ball movement began to click. Tyson Gresham soccered through an important goal while Taj Logan continued Carlton’s momentum, reducing the margin to just two points. Carlton’s defensive structure began to take control, with Dane Harvey and Sam Paea stepping up and intercepting to quell Gold Coast’s forward entries. Jack Ison again showcased his elite ball use to set up Howard’s second of the quarter, leaving the Blues just one point adrift at half time.

The Blues entered the second half without Liam Reidy, with the ruckman - who had been engaged in a duel with Gold Coast’s Jarrod Witts - ruled out of the game with concussion. The third quarter started as an arm wrestle, with neither side able to find a breakthrough during the opening stages. Carlton's forward pressure was immense, locking the ball inside its attacking half and controlling territory through relentless repeat entries. The breakthrough eventually came courtesy of Logan Prout, who brilliantly toed the ball through from the boundary line to hand Carlton its first lead of the afternoon. The momentum continued moments later when Oliver Warburton finished strongly on the run after excellent forward-half pressure to extend the advantage. Gold Coast responded late in the quarter to briefly reclaim the lead, but the Blues had the final say. Following another forced turnover created by Oliver Hollands, Harry Charleson delivered a pinpoint pass inside 50 to Liam Farrar, who calmly converted after the siren to restore Carlton's five-point advantage heading into the final term. Paea stood tall in the opening moments of the fourth term, with an important intercept from a Gold Coast inside 50 launching a Carlton attack. The Blues continued to control territory and eventually broke through when Matt Duffy lowered his eyes and found Liam Farrar inside 50, with the forward extending Carlton's lead. Gold Coast answered to remain within striking distance, but Farrar produced another crucial moment, soccering through his third goal from the goal line to push the margin back beyond two goals with time running out. The Blues’ commitment to the cause was demonstrated by Ben Camporeale, whose back-with-the-flight mark when the game was on the line crucial in stopping Gold Coast’s push. Carlton continued to attack with confidence, as late inclusion Will Cookson made no mistake from a set shot to ice the game and seal an impressive 18-point victory for the Blues. Oliver Hollands was busy with 28 disposals, while Ben Camporeale (27), Jordan Boyd (25) and Adam Saad (23) all made important contributions across the ground. Liam Farrar led the way with three goals, while Alwyn Davey and Tom Howard each kicked two in a team performance.

Coaches MVP Award

Video

Round 19, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: J. Sammartino (58), D. Harvey (61), J. Boyd (37)
HB: H. Charleson (28), Z. Williams (6), A. Saad (42)
C: L. Camporeale (21), L. Fogarty (8), M. Duffy (41)
HF: F. Young (45), O. Warburton (62), J. Ison (30)
F: L. Farrar (75), H. O'Keeffe (40), D. Tucker (50)
R: F. Riley (38), B. Camporeale (16), O. Hollands (4)
INT: S. Paea (66), A. Davey (57), L. Prout (74), R. Corrigan (63), T. Logan (68)
23rd Player: R. Corrigan (63)
EMG: T. Howard (80), J. Rule (65), T. Gresham (78), W. Cookson (77), C. Paul (71), C. Cotter (72), H. Wilson (76)

IN: L. Camporeale, R. Corrigan, L. Fogarty, D. Tucker, F. Young
OUT: L. Reidy (concussion), W. Cookson, T. Gresham, T. Howard, J. Rule (omitted)
NEW: Ryder Corrigan, 19, 186cm, Murray Bushrangers/Lavington

Head-to-head:
Brisbane Lions 4-2;
At IKON Park: Brisbane Lions 3-2;
Streak: Brisbane Lions 4;
Last time: Carlton 11.8 (74) def by Brisbane Lions 14.14 (94) – Round 16, 2025, IKON Park

Smithys Match Review
Hudson O'Keeffe produced a dominant performance as Carlton thrashed Brisbane by 60 points on Saturday. Hudson O'Keeffe booted five goals from 10 disposals, taking five marks and also having 13 hitouts as the back-up ruck. It was an impressive win for the Blues as several players had big days. Lachie Fogarty (30 disposals, 11 marks and a goal), Lucas Camporeale (32 and 11 marks) and Harry Charleson (30 and 11 marks) also found plenty of the ball. Jordan Boyd gathered 24 touches and Ben Camporeale had 26 disposals and kicked a major, while Flynn Riley (20 disposals, 29 hitouts and six clearances) was the dominant ruck on the ground. Flynn Young had 19 touches and kicked a goal, while experienced pair Zac Williams (31) and Adam Saad (27) were also busy. Jack Ison had 17 disposals and kicked a goal.

Carlton's Match Review Blues fire on all cylinders in convincing win.
A summary of the Carlton Reserves' big VFL Round 19 win. - By Bailey Walsh

The Carlton Reserves produced a dominant four-quarter performance at IKON Park, running away with a 60-point victory over Brisbane to record its fourth consecutive win. The Blues controlled the contest from the opening bounce, displaying impressive pressure, clean ball movement and strong connection across all areas of the ground. Despite Brisbane rallying either side of half-time, the Blues weren’t to be denied in a comprehensive victory, prevailing 19.6 (120) to 9.6 (60). Carlton’s ability to win possession and move the ball effectively proved a key factor throughout the afternoon, with the Blues finishing the game with commanding advantages of +147 disposals, +15 inside 50s and +47 marks. Ben Camporeale opened the scoring with a long-range goal before Lachie Fogarty found Flynn Young in the corridor for Carlton’s second major. The Blues continued their strong start as Hudson O'Keeffe converted from a flowing passage of play before adding another after taking a strong contested mark, while Liam Farrar also hit the scoreboard after Carlton created another opportunity through the middle of the ground. Carlton’s defensive pressure was a feature of the opening term, with Sam Paea standing tall late in the quarter with several important intercepts to deny Brisbane attacking opportunities. The second quarter began with both sides struggling to find clean possession, before Jack Ison showcased his class with a pinpoint pass to Hudson O'Keeffe, who kicked his third goal of the afternoon. The Blues continued to drive the ball well from half-back, using their run and carry to create opportunities forward. Alwyn Davey and Logan Prout - via a goal of the year contender - both converted chances to help Carlton maintain control of the contest, before Brisbane fought back late in the second term to close the gap.

The Lions again started the third quarter strongly to close the margin to 10 points, but the Blues responded again through Hudson O'Keeffe, who kicked his fourth goal after a brilliant end-to-end passage of play. Debutant Ryder Corrigan announced himself in Navy Blue shortly after, calmly finishing a chance created by Jordan Boyd to register his first goal at VFL level. Carlton’s ability to respond was a defining feature of the afternoon. Lachie Fogarty and Jack Ison both added goals before Hudson O'Keeffe capped off an outstanding individual performance with his fifth major after taking a strong contested mark. The Blues entered the final term with momentum and continued to pile on the pressure, with Liam Farrar adding another goal before Corrigan produced a brilliant snap over his head from congestion to kick his second goal on debut. Carlton’s transition from defence continued to cause headaches for Brisbane, with the excellent Adam Saad and Zac Williams providing plenty of run and creativity across half-back. Ollie Warburton capped off an impressive showing with a goal after a clever tap from Farrar, as the Blues finished the afternoon strongly to continue their winning run of form. It was a team performance from the Blues, with 11 individual goalkickers and 10 players producing 20 disposals or more. Hudson O'Keeffe’s five goals led the way up forward with five goals, while Farrar finished with three. Debutant Ryder Corrigan impressed with two goals, while Alwyn Davey also contributed two. Lucas Camporeale was outstanding on the wing, collecting 32 disposals and 14 marks, while Warburton produced a strong midfield performance with 32 disposals and a goal. Adam Saad was one of the Blues’ best with 27 disposals and 11 intercepts, while he was well-supported by Zac Williams’ 31-disposal performance.

How every AFL Blue performed in VFL Round 19.
Damian Truslove speaks on the performances of every AFL-listed Blue in their Round 19 win against Brisbane. - By Bailey Walsh

VFL Senior Coach Damian Truslove analyses the performances of the 13 AFL-listed Blues who featured for the Carlton Reserves in Round 19 VFL action.

4. Oliver Hollands
10 disposals, four tackles, three clearances (managed game time)
Ollie just played just over two quarters as he was our emergency for AFL. In the time he was on the ground, he played inside mid and a little bit off half-back. He found the ball, ran very hard to outnumber at contests and his disposal efficiency continues to improve.

6. Zac Williams
31 disposals, 10 intercepts, six rebound 50s
Zac got his hands on the ball offensively a lot, and he created a lot of bounce off half-back for us. He also got a lot of attention from the opposition on the day and dealt with that really well, while he won and halved several critical contests.

8. Lachie Fogarty
30 disposals, 11 marks, seven inside 50s
‘Fog’ played half a game forward and half a game as a mid. He was clean with his possessions and showed a lot of leadership on the ground, a lot of composure, and was influential in a lot of our ball movement from the middle of the ground forward.

16. Ben Camporeale
27 disposals, 85 per cent disposal efficiency, one goal
Ben Campo played inside mid, and it was a typical Ben game: hard and tough around contests and stoppages. He helped us win territory from stoppages and continues to work hard on his running patterns.

21. Lucas Camporeale
32 disposals, 14 marks, six score involvements
Lucas played on the wing. He ran hard two ways for the entire game and got his hands on the ball a lot, and he continues to improve his disposal efficiency. It was one of his better games for the season.

28. Harry Charleson
32 disposals, 11 marks, nine intercepts
‘Gaz’ played across half-back, and he had a very good balance between offence and defence. He worked very hard to support contests, and again his defensive craft continues to improve.

30. Jack Ison
18 disposals, six marks, one goal
When 'Iso' got the ball, he was very influential in our scoring chains. Every time he had possession, it felt like something was going to happen. His skill execution was outstanding, and he showed some of the power we've seen from him at AFL level. He continues to work on his positioning and patterns off the ball.

37. Jordan Boyd
26 disposals, 96 per cent disposal efficiency, eight marks
‘Boydy’ played across half-back and is in really good, consistent form. His ability to create turnovers through his excellent positioning behind the ball was outstanding. He then used the ball really well to help speed up our ball movement and create scoring opportunities in our forward half.

38. Flynn Riley
21 disposals, 30 hitouts, six clearances
Flynn won the hitouts on the day. He played the majority in the ruck, and his follow-up around stoppages was good. Flynn continues to work hard on his off-ball running patterns and positioning off ball.

40. Hudson O'Keeffe
10 disposals, five goals, 13 hitouts
It was pleasing to see 'Skull' get the results for all the hard work he's been putting in, kicking five goals. He provided really good aerial contests for us in our front half and continues to be a good leader and drive high standards amongst the group. I was pleased that he had such a good performance.

41. Matt Duffy
Seven disposals, 100 per cent disposal efficiency, five rebound 50s
Duffy played a mid-tier back position, and he halved a couple of really good contests with good spoils. When he got the ball, he was composed and used it well.

42. Adam Saad
27 disposals, 10 intercepts, eight marks
‘Saady’ also played across half-back and he defended really well. His defensive role was excellent, and on the back of that, he gave us some bounce coming out of our defensive 50 as well.

45. Flynn Young
19 disposals, 11 marks, eight inside 50s
Flynn Young played a solid game across half-forward. He provided options for us with good leading patterns when we came out of our backline. Flynn used the ball well centre-forward and was a leader amongst our forwards on the day.

Coaches MVP Award

Video

Round 20, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: D. Harvey (61), J. Weitering (23), J. Boyd (37)
HB: H. Charleson (28), Z. Williams (6), A. Saad (42)
C: L. Camporeale (21), D. Tucker (50), O. Warburton (62)
HF: F. Young (45), L. Fogarty (8), J. Ison (30)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), L. Prout (74)
R: L. Reidy (25), B. Camporeale (16), O. Hollands (4)
INT: S. Paea (66), A. Davey (57), F. Riley (38), R. Corrigan (63), C. Walker (76)

23rd Player: R. Corrigan (63)
EMG: J. Sammartino (58), J. Rule (65), L. Farrar (75), W. Cookson (77), T. Gresham (78), T. Logan (68), C. Cotter (72), T. Howard (80)

IN: A. Moir, L. Reidy, C. Walker, J. Weitering
OUT: M. Duffy (managed), L. Farrar, T. Logan, J. Sammartino (omitted)

Head-to-head:
Carlton 16-7-1;
At RSEA Park: Carlton 1-0;
Streak: Carlton 4;
Last time: Carlton 14.14 (98) def St Kilda 13.15 (93) – Round 6, 2026, IKON Park

Smithys Match Review
St Kilda surged late to upset an in-form Carlton outfit at RSEA Park on Sunday, winning by seven points. The Blues would be inside the top 10 at round’s end with a fifth straight triumph and looked like a team on a mission from the outset, kicking three of the first four goals of the opening term to lead by 13 points. Despite threatening to break the game open in the second quarter, the Saints were never too far away and pegged the deficit back to just three points by half time. The hosts were unable to make any further dents across the third quarter, but the Blues would keep their opponents in the contest by three quarter time, as they managed only two goals from nine scoring shots to only take a 10-point advantage into the final term. St Kilda would pounce on the opportunity, hitting the lead at the seven-minute mark thanks to back-to-back and whilst their hold on the game was lost momentarily, the Saints would come up clutch in time on, as a Charlie Banfield goal in the last moments gave his side their seventh win of the season. Billy McGee Galimberti was superb for the home side, amassing 29 disposals, eight marks and seven rebound 50s, with Alix Tauru also excellent with 18 disposals and nine intercept possessions. Carlton were led well by Liam Reidy (29 disposals, 13 clearances, 10 inside 50s) and Cody Walker (29 disposals, five inside 50s, one goal).

Carlton's Match Review
Returning Walker, Weitering impress despite narrow defeat.
A summary of Carlton's VFL Round 20 clash with St Kilda. - By Bailey Walsh.

The Carlton Reserves were unable to emerge from Moorabbin with a fifth straight victory, as St Kilda produced a strong finish to claim the four points. Despite the Blues winning most statistical categories, they were unable to turn their dominance into enough scoreboard impact, as the Saints used a heavy breeze to their advantage in the final term. The clash also marked the return of Jacob Weitering, Ashton Moir, Liam Reidy and Cody Walker, while Zac Williams was forced out of the game after receiving a knock to the throat in the second quarter.

Carlton made a fast start, controlling territory early as Lachie Fogarty sent a long ball inside 50, finding Taj Logan at the perfect spot for a clean gather and finish from the goal square. Ashton Moir then produced a pinpoint pass inside 50 to find Flynn Young, who made no mistake with his first goal of the day. The Saints responded with their first major, but Carlton continued to apply strong pressure inside forward 50. Jack Ison’s pressure and selflessness created an opportunity for Ryder Corrigan, as the Blues looked to capitalise with the breeze in the first term to lead by 13 points at quarter time. Jacob Weitering was strong on return, intercepting and helping the Blues set up from behind the ball, while Liam Reidy and Flynn Riley provided their midfielders with first use from the ruck. The Saints began to control more of the possession and territory in the second term, but Carlton’s backline continued to hold up strongly. Cody Walker provided the Blues with their first goal of the quarter with a composed finish through traffic, extending the margin to 19 points. The Saints responded with two goals to bring the margin back to seven points, before a great centre clearance from Liam Reidy found his ruck partner Flynn Riley, who finished truly for his first goal of the game as the Blues held onto a narrow lead at half time.

The Blues came out with plenty of pressure in the third term, with Lucas Camporeale making an immediate impact. After winning a one-on-one contest, Lucas Camporeale received a high-contact free kick and converted to kick Carlton’s first goal of the second half. Carlton continued to bring immense pressure, with a forward-half turnover created by Ashton Moir leading to Corrigan’s second goal of the afternoon and pushing the margin out to 19 points. The Saints managed to fight back with two goals, cutting the margin to eight points at three-quarter time. It was unfortunately a quarter plagued by inaccuracy for the Blues, who dominated territory but could only manage 2.7 in front of goal. Adam Saad narrowly missed a flying snap early in the final term before the Saints began to take control, with two quick goals seeing them hit the front. A terrific end-to-end passage through the middle of the ground ended with Hudson O'Keeffe soccering the ball through from the goal square to restore Carlton’s lead. The Saints regained control late in the contest and added another goal to move seven points ahead, eventually holding on for the victory. Liam Reidy was outstanding in the ruck and around the ground, finishing with 29 disposals, 21 hitouts and 13 clearances, while Walker collected 28 disposals and a goal from the wing. Ben Camporeale continued his strong form with 25 disposals through the inside midfield, with Adam Saad finishing with 24 touches from half-back. Jordan Boyd was another strong contributor off half-back with 22 disposals, seven marks and six intercepts, while Jacob Weitering made a promising return with 19 disposals, 13 marks and six intercepts. The Blues now enter the final game of the home-and-away season against Footscray, needing a win - and other results to fall their way - to secure a wildcard position.

Coaches MVP Award

Video

Round 21, 2026.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: H. Charleson (28), D. Harvey (61), J. Boyd (37)
HB: J. Sammartino (58), L. Young (33), A. Saad (42)
C: L. Camporeale (21), D. Tucker (50), O. Warburton (62)
HF: F. Young (45), L. Fogarty (8), J. Ison (30)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), L. Prout (74)
R: L. Reidy (25), B. Camporeale (16), O. Hollands (4)
INT: L. Farrar (75), C. Walker (76), W. Reinhold (60), R. Corrigan (63), T. Howard (80)
23rd Player: R. Corrigan (63)
EMG: S. Paea (66), A. Davey (57), J. Rule (65), T. Logan (68), W. Cookson (77), C. Cotter (72)

IN: H. Charleson, L. Farrar, T. Howard, W. Reinhold, J. Sammartino, L. Young
OUT: J. Weitering (AFL), Z. Williams (larynx), F. Riley (managed), A. Davey, T. Logan, S. Paea (omitted)

Head-to-head:
Footscray 9-8;
At Mission Whitten Oval: Footscray 3-0;
Streak: Carlton 1;
Last time: Carlton 16.21 (117) def Footscray 15.7 (97) – Round 8, 2026, IKON Park

Smithys Match Review Carlton will play finals football for the first time since 2022, accounting for Footscray with a 31-point victory at Mission Whitten Oval on Sunday. Needing a win to enter the top 10 by round’s end, the Blues came out swinging, kicking five consecutive majors after conceding the opening goal to lead by 19 points at quarter time before the Bulldogs built some momentum in the second, getting the margin to seven points before settling for a 15-point deficit at the main break. The reigning premiers would still keep up with their opponents throughout the third quarter, in part thanks to Carlton’s inaccuracy as they kicked just two goals from seven scoring shots, however they were still in the game with the margin sitting at 19 points at three quarter time. But the Bulldogs would never be in a position to strike, instead they conceded three of the final four goals of the game to help the away side lock in a spot in the wildcard next weekend. Lucas Camporeale was excellent for Carlton, amassing 32 disposals, five clearances and five score involvements, whilst Adam Saad was brilliant also with 26 disposals at 77% efficiency as well as 11 intercepts. Luke Cleary was just as important for the home side in defence with 28 disposals and 10 intercepts, with teammate Cooper Craig-Peters having another great game with 31 disposals and 10 clearances.

Carlton's Match Review Blues book wildcard spot with strong win
Carlton has secured its place in the Wildcard Round after a hard-fought victory over Footscray. - By Bailey Walsh.

Carlton has secured its place in the Wildcard Round after a hard-fought 31-point victory over Footscray at IKON Park. Leading at every change, the Blues kicked away in the final term, prevailing 13.13 (91) to 9.6 (60) to lock away ninth position on the VFL ladder. The contest was heavily contested from the opening bounce, with both sides looking to move the ball with speed and control the game through marks around the ground. The Dogs started strongly, kicking the opening goal of the game, but the Blues quickly responded through two goals to Hudson O'Keeffe. After some scrappy play, Tom Howard snapped truly from the pocket, capping off a strong start built on his forward-half pressure. The Blues continued to apply immense pressure inside 50, allowing them to set up behind the ball and make it difficult for the Dogs to exit defensive 50. Hudson O'Keeffe continued his dominant opening term, completing his hat-trick after receiving a free kick. Howard then added his second for the quarter as Carlton continued to control territory. Dane Harvey was also influential in defence, taking multiple intercept marks as the Blues maintained control for much of the opening term. Footscray added a late goal to reduce the margin to 19 points at the first change. The Dogs came out firing in the second term, kicking the opening goal before adding another shortly after to cut Carlton’s lead to just eight points. Footscray dominated territory early in the quarter, but the Blues steadied through Harry Charleson, who finished off a beautiful goal on the run to halt the Bulldogs’ momentum. Jordan Boyd then launched a long bomb from inside the centre square as Carlton pushed its lead back out to 20 points. The Dogs responded with another major, but the Blues held firm to take a 15-point lead into the main break.

The third quarter began in scrappy fashion, with both sides struggling to use the ball cleanly. The Bulldogs struck first to cut the margin to 10 points, but Liam Reidy responded with a composed set-shot goal to restore Carlton’s advantage. A great passage of play then found Liam Farrar, who calmly converted for his first goal of the afternoon to extend the Blues’ lead to 24 points. Footscray hit back with a goal of its own, but Carlton remained in control heading into the final change. Carlton controlled territory early in the final term, with Jordan Boyd winning three pivotal one-on-one contests inside the opening six minutes in a quarter defined by moments. Logan Prout provided the spark with a brilliant running snap to push the margin out to 25 points, but the Dogs refused to go away to once again draw closer. A slick passage of handballs inside 50 found Oliver Hollands, who converted truly for his first goal of the day and extended Carlton’s lead to 23 points. Flynn Young then weaved through traffic before finding Cody Walker, who calmly finished for his first goal of the afternoon. The Blues continued to dominate the final term, with Ashton Moir putting the finishing touches on a convincing victory with a brilliant snap from the pocket. Lucas Camporeale was the Blues’ most prolific on the wing with 32 disposals, while Oliver Hollands was also influential with 31 disposals and a goal. Darcy Tucker continued his strong form with 28 disposals, while Adam Saad provided plenty of drive from half-back with 25 disposals in a best-on-ground performance. Carlton ran out 31-point winners to secure its place in the Wildcard Round, where it will face Williamstown next weekend.

Coaches MVP Award

Video

Ladder end of 2026 VFL Home & Away Season.

2026 VFL Finals Series

Week 1

Wild Card Round.The first six teams qualified directly for the finals while the four teams from 7th-10th played off in a 'wildcard round.

Carlton Reserves Team
B: S. Paea (66), D. Harvey (61), A. Saad (42)
HB: H. Charleson (28), J. Boyd (37), L. Prout (74)
C: J. Ison (30), D. Tucker (50), L. Camporeale (21)
HF: C. Walker (76), F. Young (45), A. Davey (57)
F: A. Moir (43), H. O'Keeffe (40), L. Farrar (75)
R: F. Riley (38), B. Camporeale (16), L. Fogarty (8)
INT: J. Sammartino (58), W. Reinhold (60), O. Warburton (62), D. Hogg (70), W. Cookson (77)
23rd Player: C. Walker (76)
EMG: T. Logan (68), J. Rule (65), C. Cotter (72), T. Gresham (78), R. Corrigan (63), A. Stevens (64), J. O'Sullivan (82)

IN: W. Cookson, A. Davey, D. Hogg, S. Paea, F. Riley
OUT: O. Hollands (AFL), T. Howard (hamstring), L. Reidy (injured), R. Corrigan, T. Logan (omitted)

Head-to-head:
Carlton 19-13.
At DSV Stadium: Williamstown 8-4.
Streak: Williamstown 5;
Last time: Carlton 12.7 (79) def by Williamstown 12.12 (84) – Round 2, 2026, IKON Park

Smithys Match Review
Carlton is out of the VFL finals after a 38-point loss to Williamstown in the Wildcard Round. While the AFL team will be hard to break into after a stunning final-round win over Fremantle, a number of youngsters showed their wares with Flynn Young among the most prominent with three goals from 17 disposals and six marks, while Ben Camporeale gathered 35 touches and five clearances. Harry Charleson (27 disposals) also got plenty of touches, with Jordan Boyd (22) and Jack Ison (19) among the biggest contributors. Other AFL-listed players included Lachie Fogarty (14, seven tackles), Adam Saad (13, one goal), Hudson O'Keeffe (11, 22 hitouts) and Ashton Moir (11, one goal). Father-son prospect Cody Walker was also prominent with 23 disposals, five clearances and three tackles.

Carlton's Match Review
Williamstown’s perfect record in Smithy’s VFL wildcard finals continued as they cruised to a 38-point victory over Carlton at DSV Stadium for their third-consecutive wildcard victory. The Seagulls were in sync and had the Blues on the backfoot for much of the first term, producing eight consecutive scoring shots, one of those being a terrific team-goal from defence to attack that was finished off by Heath Ollington at the 12-minute mark. The home side would ultimately keep Carlton goalless to quarter time with a 31-point advantage behind them. The Blues would finally get things going with two of the first three majors of the second term, but their momentum would be short lived as the Gulls converted some set shots into the breeze to take a 37-point lead into the main break. Just as the Swans would do north of the border, Williamstown would be at their most damaging in the third quarter, with a scintillating eight-goal term that included some brilliant passages of play and terrific stoppage work that didn’t allow Carlton to maintain possession of the football for long periods of time. Kallan Dawson’s fourth major of the match at the 29-minute mark of the third term would see the margin reach a game-high 82 points, before the home side took the foot off the gas in the last term. They would conceded nine goals as Carlton put some respectability on the scoreboard, but it would be too little too late as Justin Plapp earnt himself at least one more game as senior coach, with a huge clash against rivals Essendon to come in next week’s first elimination final at Windy Hill. Dawson would equal his season-high output of five majors and has now booted goals in his last six matches up forward. He also had eight marks, four of those contested, and five score involvements in what was a complete performance. Meanwhile Bailey Ryan was just as important in attack with four goals in his fifth game of the season, and Jake Greiser continued his ability to win plenty of the footy in the defensive half with 32 disposals, six rebound 50s and five intercept possessions. The visitors couldn’t carry their late season form into Saturday’s final, despite seeing strong performances from the likes of Ben Camporeale who had 36 disposals and nine score involvements, and Sam Paea who kicked a season-high four majors.

Video

2nd Wildcard Final: Sydney Swans 22.14.146 d Frankston 11.12.78

Week 2

1st Qualifying Final: Geelong 13.11.89 d Tasmania 9.12.66

2nd Qualifying Final: Box Hill Hawks 16.13.109 d Werribee 15.6.96

1st Elimination Final: Port Melbourne 17.14.116 d Sydney Swans 9.7.61

2nd Elimination Final: Essendon 14.12.96 d Williamstown 7.9.51

Week 3

1st Semi Final: Essendon 15.11.101 d Tasmania 10.14.74

2nd Semi Final: Port Melbourne 12.13.85 d Werribee 9.15.69

Week 4

1st Preliminary Final: Box Hill Hawks 13.17.95 d Essendon 13.10.88

2nd Preliminary Final: Geelong 14.12.96 d Port Melbourne 6.13.49

Week 5

Grand Final: Box Hill Hawks 8.14.62 d Geelong 5.9.39

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