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“I think he will determine how far Carlton will go this year”: The ‘MVP’ at the Blues
Sam Watson • March 18th, 2025 11:38 pm
Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne believes Sam Walsh holds the keys to Carlton’s fortunes in 2025.
The 2018 No. 1 draft pick finished with 25 disposals in the Blues’ season-opener against Richmond on Thursday night, but failed to have an impact against the Tigers’ second-half assault.
And while Hoyne acknowledged the importance of Patrick Cripps, Jacob Weitering, and Tom De Koning, he said Walsh is Carlton’s ‘MVP’ and the determining factor behind their success this season.
“I think he will determine how far Carlton will go this year, Sam Walsh,” Hoyne said on SEN’s Sportsday.
“In 2022, he was rated, on our rating system, outside the top 100 players in the competition. In 2024, he was rated outside the top 100 players in the competition. Carlton did not win a final in either of those seasons.”
“In the back end of 2023, he's rated as a top 15 player in the competition. Carlton go on to fall two and a half goals short of making a grand final in a great run in the second half of the year.
“His balance in terms of being able to impact the game through his ball use and his ball winning ability in the back end of 2023, was top 30 in the competition.”
Hoyne believes it’ll be Walsh’s work “outside of stoppage” that will make him such a valuable asset for Michael Voss’ team.
“We talk a lot on this show that 60 per cent of the game is outside of stoppage… Who at Carlton controls the 60 per cent of the game? Who is that player? It's not Cripps, it's not (Adam) Cerra at the moment.”
“At his best, it's Sam Walsh… Carlton needs this guy to be that player for them who controls the 60 per cent of the game. If he does, I think that will determine where they finish.
“I think if he has a season that finishes him outside the top 100 players in the competition, I think they'll go very much in line on what happened in 2022 and 2024, not winning a final.”
The Blues will try to bounce back from their horror showing against Richmond when they take on Hawthorn at the MCG on Thursday night.
You can listen to Hoyne's explanation here.
