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Star Blue preparing for change ahead of crucial list shake-up
SEN • August 19th, 2025 6:30 pm
The rumours surrounding the Blues’ off-season have come in thick and fast.
From talks of the stability within their core unit to the ruthless reputation of new CEO Graham Wright, Carlton are most certainly expecting a list re-shuffle ahead of 2026.
Sitting in 12th place with just eight wins, there’s no questioning that the squad is in desperate need of a shake-up if the club wants to maximise the return from their top-ended list, and Blues star defender Jacob Weitering has reinforced that the team is in desperate need of change.
“I completely agree (that list change is required),” Weitering told SEN’s Whateley.
“It’s the nature of the game, and probably something that I haven’t experienced. You have maybe one or two guys move each year that you’re pretty close with and that have been at the club for a long time.
“There might be a lot of change, there might not be, there’s some decisions to be weighed up with players around my eyes. Obviously, that’s been well talked about, but it is the nature of the game.
“Players move now more than often. The mindset has been, if you want to play for the club, then you’ll stay. If you don’t, you’ll be moved on.
“You want guys that play for the jumper, that play for the club, and I’ll looking forward to the moves that he’ll make and the guys that he brings in. I’m sure they’ll be great humans, great characters and good footballers as well.”
The Blues’ core group has carried the side through turmoil for seasons on end, peaking during their phenomenal 2023 September run before falling below the cut off once again this season.
Led by captain Patrick Cripps, the star core of Sam Walsh, Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay and Jacob Weitering himself have provided Blues fans with a multitude of joy over the years, however suggestions of potential unrest have cemented a number of the stars within trade talks.
That being said, Weitering hopes that the main group remains put, citing the difficult discussions that they may undertake in the coming weeks.
“The names you mentioned are all contracted - I think Walsh is up at the end of next year,” Weitering said.
“That’s the core group that’s been around now for a few years, and four of those names are in the leadership group. The responsibility was on us and has been on us to lead the way in both action and through words on and off the field.
“At times, we’ve fallen away this year and not been able to do that successfully. We’ll go to work ourselves, and have those conversations about our own leadership, what’s worked, what hasn’t, and how can we improve each other and move forward.
“There is that conversation of, ‘is the window closing, are players getting a little bit too old?’ But you look at teams now, your Geelong’s, your Collingwood’s, a lot of players going into their 30’s.
“If we can keep this core group together, there’s no reason why we can’t have some success in the short term and in the long term.”
With one game remaining in 2025, the Blues will be eagerly awaiting the off-season.
