Carlton’s VFL affiliate the Northern Blues get their 2016 home-and-away campaign underway on Sunday morning when they face Footscray at Whitten Oval.

It’s a completely new look at Preston City Oval this season, with a new coach, new captain and a completely different team to the one that finished 2015 in 14th position.

The club has undergone a widespread reset, with newly appointed senior coach Josh Fraser fronting a playing group which has undergone radical change. 

Only 13 senior Northern players remain from last season, with the squad of 48 freshened with players from the AFL system, exciting TAC Cup talent and interstate, metropolitan and country football.

Blues fans will have the opportunity to watch their young guns in action without interruption, after Northern’s request that no VFL games clash with Carlton’s matches being heeded by AFL Victoria.

The club is continuing to work with AFL Victoria about the potential of having some curtain raisers for Carlton games after the success in 2015.

THE COACH

Josh Fraser has taken the senior coaching reins at the Northern Blues in 2016, bringing with him a plethora of AFL playing experience as well as interstate coaching experience.

Doubling up as a Carlton development coach, Fraser played 218 AFL games for Collingwood and Gold Coast, while spending the last two years as the Suns’ reserves side coach in the NEAFL. 


New Northern Blues coach Josh Fraser directs his players during training. (Photo: Jason Heidrich)

Fraser will have an invested role in the Carlton youth filtering through at VFL level, which in pre-season has included the likes of David Cuningham, Jack Silvagni and Dillon Viojo-Rainbow. 

Fraser is at the helm of a completely new-look Northern in 2016, with a new coaching staff working under him including former Carlton premiership player Ian Aitken.

THE CAPTAIN

Tom Wilson was officially announced as the newest captain of the Northern Blues Football Club on Wednesday night.

Taking over from fellow Life Member Brent Bransgrove after four years in the position, Wilson has been the most consistent Blue over the last two seasons and is the only remaining best-and-fairest winner on the list.

The 24-year-old is an elite distributor of the football who has shown his value in the forward line and through the midfield.

His professionalism and commitment to the football club - signing a two-year contract in the off-season - meant he was the unanimous choice to lead the Northern playing group in its new era and the perfect man to continue on from Bransgrove.


Tom Wilson was a unanimous choice to captain the Northern Blues in 2016. (Photo: Northern Blues Football Club)

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Brent Bransgrove: The heart and soul of the football club, Bransgrove is an inside midfielder with an unrelenting attack on the footy who has been dogged by injuries in recent years. Still a member of the club leadership group, Bransgrove will be hoping his injury troubles have been put behind him after approaching his best footy last season before his year was cut short with a hamstring injury. 

Jack Cripps: Cripps came across from East Fremantle in the WAFL, and is the cousin of reigning John Nicholls Medallist, Patrick. Cripps is a mobile key forward whose versatility can see him play higher up the ground or closer to goal.

 
Patrick Cripps' cousin Jack is put through his paces for the Northern Blues. (Photo: Tim Murdoch)

Glenn Strachan: Nominated as one of the club’s best trainers over the pre-season by Northern’s high performance staff, Strachan was voted in as co-vice captain alongside Zach Ballard. Strachan played 11 senior games in his first season as a Blue in 2015 and is one of the club’s prime movers off half-back.

Hisham Kerbatieh: One of the unluckiest of last year’s draft crop to not find his way to an AFL team, Kerbatieh is a lively forward with talent to burn. A Vic Metro representative last season, Kerbatieh is sure to excite Northern fans in 2016 and has cast an eye to playing senior football in his first year at Preston City Oval.

Ben Casley: The Northern Blues’ first signee for the 2016 season, Casley has come across from reigning VFL premier Williamstown. Casley played in three consecutive Development premierships for the Seagulls, and his attitude has seen him inducted to the club leadership group in his first season. 

Tyler Roos: The son of AFL 300-gamer and Melbourne senior coach Paul, Roos has spent his last two seasons at the Sandringham Dragons. He is a classic wingman who throughout the pre-season has shown his football smarts and ability to find the footy. 

PRE-SEASON RESULTS

March 12, Ikon Park: Northern Blues 6. 7. (43) lost to Box Hill Hawks 13. 15. (93)

Goals: Jones 3, Byrne, Smith, Curnow 

Match report

March 24, Punt Road: Northern Blues 20. 10. (130) defeated Richmond 11. 8. (74)

Goals: Jones 3, Gorringe 3, Silvagni 3, Casley 2, Jaksch 2, Gallucci 2, Tutt 2, Wood, Kerbatieh, Gowers 

Match report

April 2, Preston City Oval: Northern Blues 9. 13. (67) lost to Port Melbourne 16. 15. (111)

Goals: Jones 2, Smith 2, Casley 2, Gorringe, Kerbatieh, Whiley 

Match report

LIST CHANGES

Ins: Fraser Russell (Carlton AFL), Sam Russell (Port Adelaide AFL), Jayden Cyster (Eastern Ranges), James Corboy (Oakleigh Chargers), Carl Adams (Northern Knights), Jaylon Thorpe (West Preston), Cameron Barrett (Balranald), Hisham Kerbatieh (Calder Cannons), Tyler Roos (Sandringham Dragons), Ashlin Brown (Werribee VFL, Hoppers Crossing), Jayden Collins (Eastern Ranges), Ben Casley (Williamstown), Kye Declase (Northern Knights), Tim Jones (Southport), Brandon Droessler (Kew, Casey Scorpions), Jack Cripps (East Fremantle), Bailey Jordan (Northern Knights), Jacob Booth (Northern Knights), Harrison Payne (Corowa-Rutherglen), William Krithararis (Werribee VFL), Daniel O’Leary (Altona), Liam McVeigh (Northern Knights), Jayden Fox (Bendigo Pioneers), Jake Hobbs (Western Jets, Essendon Doutta Stars), Liam Jacques (Golden Square), Max Maynard (Northern Knights), Billy Hawkes (West Preston), Sam Peet (Northern Knights), Jaidyn Caruana (Assumption College), Matthew Reyment (Mansfield), Bior Malual (Werribee Districts), Corey Le-Favi (Airport West), Lachlan Hickey (Melton Bloods), Matthew Walson (Werribee VFL, Werribee Centrals), Domenic Iermano (Essendon Doutta Stars)

Outs: Joel Wilkinson, Tyrone Armitage, Daniel Watson, Dean Soncin, Garrett McDonagh, Paul Dirago, Mitch Gleeson, Jarryd Coulson, Ben Toman, Sam Cattapan, Eamon Jenkins, Steve Murray, Adem Asani, Aiden Yelland, Cameron Conlon, Ben Walton, Jacob Gleeson, Lachlan Kilpatrick, Ciaran Porter, Kieran Roberts, Matthew Haynes, Lachlan Langwell, Jordan Perry, Lachlan Boscarini, Jesse Tardio, Jack Johnston, Eamon Gilbert, Hugh Schiavello, Liam Kinsella, Ryan Tester, Kyle McDonald, Scott Whillas, Jordan Roberts, Jake Wild, Liam Bowkett

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