THE Carlton Football Club is pleased to announce Corey Durdin and Alex Mirkov have extended their contracts with the Blues for a further two years.
Durdin, 19, was selected by Carlton with pick No.37 in the 2020 NAB AFL Draft after impressing in the SANFL for Central District with his smarts, competitiveness and appetite to tackle as a specialist small forward.
He played two senior games at the backend of 2021 and made his mark in the AAMI Community Series win against Melbourne with two majors against the reigning premiers.
Durdin earned his place in the Blues’ Round 1 side and made it count with yet another two goals and 14 disposals, adding an exciting element to the forward line over the opening fortnight.
Mirkov was the final player signed to the Carlton Reserves in 2021 and immediately made an impact with 36 hitouts in just his second game.
That was enough to convince the Club to select him in the 2021 NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft, with his development continuing to impress from that moment on.
The 22-year-old began his season on Friday night with the Carlton Reserves side, amassing a game-high 30 hitouts, 14 disposals, five tackles and three clearances in a 42-point win, a strong start as he begins his first full season in the AFL system.
Carlton Head of List Management Nick Austin said the pair’s attitude and appetite to embrace the opportunity on an AFL list has been first class and credited the Club’s development program for their progress to date.
“The willingness of Corey and Alex to learn and adapt is outstanding and they have integrated into the program seamlessly since arriving at the Club,” Austin said.
“Corey has earned his place in the senior side through his work rate and appetite to continuously get better. He is an exciting young talent and will only benefit from more exposure to AFL games this season.
“There is a clear development path set out for Alex, which he is working closely with our coaching group on achieving, and today’s announcement adds another chapter to what is a fascinating football story and a testament to his work rate over the last 12 months.
“We are pleased to be able to re-sign Corey and Alex for a further two years and look forward to seeing their development continue.
“Credit should also go to our Head of Development Luke Power, development coaches Daniel O’Keefe and Torin Baker and ruck coach Matthew Kreuzer – the amount of work they put in with both players every day is outstanding and gives Corey and Alex every chance to have long and successful careers in the Navy Blue.”
