Teenage recruit Nick Graham had the Carlton coaching staff buzzing with a dazzling display in Friday’s AFL intra-club match at Visy Park.
Graham is a standout midfielder who has the ability to run out games strongly – a key ingredient if the league moves to a probable interchange cap next year.
The 18-year-old Morrish Medallist was a standout in Carlton’s serious hitout ahead of their opening pre-season cup clash next week.
Carlton were attracted to the endurance of Tory Menzel – their first pick in last year’s national draft – Graham and Tom Temay.
The league will experiment with an interchange cap of 80 in the later pre-season cup games, but revert to an unlimited number of rotations for the 2013 premiership season.
However there is a strong feeling that for 2014, interchanges for the season proper will be capped, placing an emphasis on players with stamina rather than burst players.
Temay – the son of former St Kilda player Paul Temay – represented Victoria as a 3000m runner before choosing Australian football over athletics.
Carlton’s third pick in the 2012 draft, Graham was coached by former Blue Nick Stevens at TAC Cup side Gippsland Power.
Carlton coaching director Rob Wiley said on Friday that along with his stamina, Graham also was a high-possession player.
“Nick’s got that great ability to find the football,” Wiley said.
“He did that in the under 18s. He has the ability to read the play and has good composure.
“I think certainly he’s headed in the direction of being a very good AFL footballer and Carlton are very fortunate to have him.”
Meanwhile, Wiley said Friday’s game was another positive step for Carlton as they adapt to the game plan of new coach Mick Malthouse.
“I’m sure Mick would be pretty pleased today,” Wiley said.
“The last few weeks at training, a lot of things are starting to come together.
“Going into next week, we’re pretty pleased with where we’re at.”
However Wiley said there was no doubt Malthouse’s masterplan was still a work in progress.
“It doesn’t happen overnight and, as much as we’re happy with where we’re at, we know that to beat sides like Hawthorn and Sydney, we’ve got to be much better.”
Most players came through the practice match unscathed although defender Rhys O’Keefe finished with a sore neck and ruckman Robbie Warnock suffered a corked thigh.
Wiley said the bulk of the players on the field on Friday would make up the team for the first pre-season cup clash against Sydney and Greater Western Sydney.
That would leave injured former skipper Chris Judd (hamstring) and Jarrad Waite (calf) still on the sidelines.
