“YOU CAN see in their games that they’re getting better every week - that’s what we’re chasing.”

The fruits of their labour.

Throughout recent seasons, a new wave has started to emerge at IKON Park - and 2026 is no exception. Despite a frustrating start to this year’s campaign which sees the Blues sit at 5-8 at the midway point, what’s been an undeniable positive is the continued emergence of the Blues’ youth.

The stat in recent weeks has been well-established. Against Port Adelaide in Round 12 and again against Essendon on the weekend, the Blues had seven players with 13 games or less: Jagga Smith, Harry Dean, Billy Wilson, Flynn Young, Talor Byrne, Jack Ison and Wade Derksen.

That’s not including the likes of the injured Harry O’Farrell or Matthew Carroll, who enjoyed an excellent start to the year, or 2025 Rising Star nominees Cooper Lord and Ashton Moir.

For Head of Development Jordan Russell, the recent exposure of the Club’s youth has been affirmation for a young core beginning to emerge at IKON Park.

Smith’s start to life has been typically exceptional, while Dean’s scalps of Mitch Georgiades and Nate Caddy has made a mockery of being just 18 years of age. He’s been joined by his fellow 2025 draft class members Byrne and Ison, who have given the Blues’ forward mix a different look since their introduction in recent weeks.

Rusty’s Round Up

A new energy

“It’s awesome. It speaks around the program that we’re setting with the other development coaches: the hard work that they’re putting into the players and the hard work the players are putting into their games and performances. It says a little bit about where we’re at and the energy and what they’ve been able to bring in the past month. It’s been awesome. ‘Iso’ coming in, Talor Byrne coming back in, ‘Deany’ is doing an unbelievable job and his job on Caddy was outstanding. Billy Wilson, Flynn Young as well - it’s exciting.”

Earning their stripes

“It’s more the fact that they’ve earned their spot through the VFL program. ‘Iso’ had a great month before he came in. ‘Byrner’ started with us before going back and working on his game, his pressure has been unbelievable and he has stepped straight back in. ‘Deany’ has been there for most of the year.

“The ability for our VFL team to win five games in a row, Flynn Young played some outstanding footy in that block and to see him get that chance - Billy Wilson is exactly the same. We’ve just got to play these boys now, and expose them to AFL footy. You can see in their games that they’re getting better every week, that’s what we’re chasing.”

The son of a gun, Harry Dean

“That right there is every reason why you want to play these young kids. If you can expose them to those big roles early and give them a taste for what it is, they sink or swim at the start and you’ve got to continue to back them in. His work ethic, his contest is stuff that you love. He’ll be a bloody good player for a long time.”

The emergence of Jagga Smith

“AFL footy is hard. He’s essentially a first-year player and we probably spoke about him a hell of a lot at the start of the year. He popped, and then got a little bit more attention than he did early. That’s AFL - you play good footy, that’s what you’re going to receive. It’s been awesome to see him rode those little bumps and the rollercoaster ride of AFL footy.

“What he’s been able to do in the midfield, George has popped out forward, ‘Crippa’ has popped out forward. I don’t think that can go unnoticed, our older boys being prepared to change roles for some of the youth to come in and play some big moments.”

Persistence paying off for Billy Wilson

“The best part of the feedback around our development group is if we can teach the kids the right way at VFL level, when they get their chance, they’re ready to go and don’t come back down for a couple of weeks. It’s a success story to this point, Billy can reset and go again. His run off half-back is really important for us.”

The Carlton Reserves program

“The couple of changes and the guys that have come in have helped our AFL team, and we’ve probably stolen them a little bit. That’s part of the two teams and the importance around the squad mentality. ‘Vossy’ did an unbelievable job at promoting that, and ‘Frase’ is doing exactly the same. We need to make sure we have really good selection integrity and promoting the guys that are playing good footy at twos level. Our young boys are a big part of that.”

The leaders’ role

The hardest bit about stepping up into the big leagues is understanding that we just need them to play a role. We need them to defend, we need them to put pressure on, we need them to get involved in our system in offence. The leaders have done an amazing job. Will Hayward and ‘Banger’ (Ben Ainsworth) up forward with Harry, obviously a complementary midfield group and then ‘Newy’ and ‘Haynesy’ with ‘Weiters’ are leading the way in supporting Billy and our younger guys. It’s been really encouraging, the month has been awesome and we get to reset now.