CARLTON will have a minimum of five draft picks and is likely to make further cuts to its list after the club yesterday axed five players from its list.
The Blues delisted 2004 best-and-fairest David Teague, ruckman Dylan McLaren, Anthony Raso, Ross Young and Craig Flint. The retirements of Anthony Koutoufides and Matthew Lappin mean the club has already lost seven players from its 2007 senior list, with more departures expected before the national draft.
Carlton is set to promote rookies Michael Jamison, Aisake O'hAilpin and Ryan Jackson onto the senior list for next year — Jamison as the "nominated rookie" that gives the club a 39th player — and will have at least four draft picks at the national draft, plus the No. 2 pick in the pre-season draft for uncontracted players.
The future of the club's 2007 captain, Lance Whitnall, will be determined after he sees a knee specialist next week.
The most significant delistings were those of Teague, whose career stalled after he won the best and fairest in 2004, and McLaren, the ruckman who had been the club's first choice as an uncontracted signing (from Brisbane Lions) in the pre-season draft of 2005.
McLaren had been recruited to fill the club's ruck void, but was overtaken in the pecking order by former Saint Cain Ackland, Cameron Cloke and, more lately, younger followers.
In an announcement last night, Carlton said Teague had been "a wonderful clubman".
"David is a Carlton best-and-fairest winner and he was the inaugural winner of the John Nicholls Medal in 2004. He has been an outstanding clubman and wonderful ambassador for the Carlton Football Club during his four years at Carlton," said Steven Icke, football operations manager. Teague played 50 games for the Blues.
Carlton will have picks one and three, plus 20 and 36 in the draft.
Young and Flint had been elevated onto the senior list, with the former playing six games. Neither Raso nor Flint managed a senior game in their time at the club.
"We sincerely thank the players for the commitment they have given to the Carlton Football Club during their careers and we wish them well going forward," Icke said.
