ANOTHER role, another test.

When Cooper Lord was told he’d be spending a fair bit of his Sunday stationed next to Fremantle midfielder Caleb Serong, the young Blue approached the challenge in the same manner as he has done with all the others he’s been tasked with since his arrival in the middle of 2024.

With an open mind and full application.

The end result was Lord putting together one of his best showings to date (even despite his Rising Star nomination earlier this year), accumulating 22 disposals, 14 contested possessions and eight tackles (all career-highs) while restricting the dangerous Serong to 19 disposals.

Speaking post-match, Lord spoke not only of the task he was given, but the gratitude to be able to prove himself against the dual All Australian.

02:09

AFL R21 | Lord post match

Cooper Lord spoke to Carlton Media about his role in the team and earning his position in the starting 22.

“Going in, I knew he is an amazing player and I was lucky enough to get the role on him. I felt like I learned a fair few things off him, he’s an amazing player,” Lord said post-match.

“The way he times it and keeps turning up, there are certainly things I can take away from it. I’ll be looking at the vision and picking things out of that, it was a good opportunity.”

It was another role which was thrown Lord’s way, adding a run-with role to his repertoire of playing as an inside midfielder, on the wing and even as a high half-forward on various occasions throughout the year, whether he was starting the game on the ground or as sub.

02:17

12 months on: Best of Lord's year in Navy Blue

A year on from the 2024 AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft, watch the best of Cooper Lord's first 12 months in Navy Blue.

It’s all been part of the learning process for the 20-year-old, who has missed just one game this season and was one of six Blues with less than 25 games of experience at the weekend.

“Trying different roles can sometimes be a bit hard, but [Michael Voss] puts a lot of trust in me and I felt really good going out there to get the job done.

“He wants to develop my game and I feel like that’s happening. Whether that’s playing on the wing, inside mid or up forward, I’m gaining a better understanding of the direction I need to go as a player.

“Being able to get out there with the younger boys has been pretty cool. The buzz hasn’t worn off since my first few games: it’s been special to be playing out there and I hope I can continue in the same manner.”