Liam Jones’ shock retirement has forced Carlton into a hurried search for a replacement key defender.
Carlton is still reeling from the sudden retirement of key defender Liam Jones, who exited the game after the AFL enforced a mandate that meant players who were unwilling to get the Covid vaccine would be unable to play.
The shock retirement has left the Blues with a gaping hole in an area of the ground they would have considered a strength, hindering their place in the premiership betting markets – which you can find with the Bet365 Online Casino.
With the trade period having come and gone, the Blues don’t have a lot to choose from when it comes to acquiring new talent to replace the one-on-one machine that was Jones.
However, they can look within. Caleb Marchbank and Oscar McDonald played one game between them last season, with Marchbank suffering an ACL injury when on the verge of a return, and McDonald suffering a stress fracture in his back.
Marchbank has promised plenty since arriving at the Blues, but has been let down by his body over the last two seasons. His ability to intercept mark perhaps isn’t as strong as Jones’, but it is still a strong facet of his game and his foot skills give him some advantage over the departing veteran.
McDonald played as a forward when coming on as a medical sub in round one in 2021, but he may be deployed down back in 2022. McDonald has the size needed for a Blues backline that will have a strong focus on team defence as opposed to the one-on-one efforts of Jacob Weitering and Jones.
Mitch McGovern, meanwhile, is a man that may just need the move to rejuvenate his career. There’s no doubt McGovern has the athleticism that made Jones such a weapon, and he is a much more talented ball user. Can he replicate some of his brother Jeremy’s exploits if used in defence?
He went back in the final game of the 2020 season against Brisbane and showed some promise, however he was playing forward again in 2021 before injury saw him spend another long stint on the sidelines.
With Charlie Curnow looking ready to resume his place next to Harry McKay near goal, a move down back might be just what McGovern needs.
Former Bulldog Lewis Young was recruited as cover for when Jones eventually retired, although that wasn’t expected to be this off-season. He has the height and marking ability to fill the shoes of Jones, who also left Whitten Oval for Ikon Park. At only 22, Young has plenty of time to fill those shoes and surpass Jones’ time at the Blues.
While Carlton and new coach Michael Voss would have preferred Jones to remain a Blue, they aren’t left without an option to replace the courageous defender. Jones turns 31 before round one next year, and now the Blues can look to the future before it’s too late.
