JACK Ison will make Carlton history in Sir Doug Nicholls Round when he becomes the first Carlton NGA debutant at AFL level.
The Blues’ fifth AFL debutant of the season and already the 10th new Blue of season 2026, Ison’s first game will be a key chapter in the journey of the first-year draftee, who came through the Carlton Academy since the age of 14.
Joining Carlton with pick No.47 in the 2025 Telstra AFL Draft, Ison will have a few familiar faces on the weekend - he came through the Carlton Academy with Harry Dean, while he played for Scotch College with Jagga Smith in his school years.
A proud Wiradjuri and Yorta-Yorta man, Ison’s first game coming in Sir Doug Nicholls Round is extra poignant for the debutant, who was informed during Wednesday’s team meeting of the news.
Ison adds to the proud Indigenous history of the Carlton Football Club, starting with Alf Egan in 1931. In the near 100 years since Egan became the Blues’ first Indigenous player, Carlton has seen the likes of Syd Jackson, Eddie Betts and Andrew Walker play over 100 games in Navy Blue.
Carlton will announce its full team on Thursday night at 6:20pm.
