TOM LONERGAN has arrived at IKON Park in the newly created role of Development and Talent Manager. 

Having his first training session on Monday (the first day of pre-season), the 209-gamer is excited to get stuck into the 2023 season already. 

Working closely with both the development and the list management teams, Lonergan will also work closely with the forward line, lending a hand to Ash Hansen with his experience playing both ends of the grounds in his AFL career. 

“My role will be working closely with the younger guys and supporting Ash Hansen in the forward line,” Lonergan said.  

“A lot of the young forwards coming up, I’ll work really closely with them. 

“I’ll work with Mick Agresta and Nick Austin in the list management team, linking the two together and hopefully bringing the skill set that I’ve learnt the last three or four years.” 

Since his retirement in 2017, Lonergan has been working closely with NAB League teams, helping develop emerging players at the Calder Cannons and the Geelong Falcons in their desire to get drafted.

With the experience of being on an AFL list himself and his time in the elite talent pathway, Lonergan is hoping he can not only mould the players on the list, but help assess the up-and-coming players through the draft system. 

“I’ve been doing a lot of coaching with the key position players but also the broader squad, trying to help those guys who are trying to find their way onto an AFL list," he said.

“Hopefully I can use a lot of the same tools. I’ve got 15 years of experience playing both ends of the ground as a forward and back, so I do have a bit of experience on that side of things too.” 

Lonergan was impressed with what the Blues showed last year, noting that was a big factor in his decision to come across to IKON Park. 

Referencing the good people he spoke to throughout the hiring process, Lonergan has full faith in the Club and the direction that they’re going. 

“I think the people I spoke to - ‘Vossy’, Aaron Greaves, Luke Power and Brad Lloyd - you just look around and go ‘wow, there’s some pretty impressive people here now’,” he said. 

“Then look at this brand new facility that they’ve got and the talent on the list: it feels like Carlton is in a really good place at the moment and hopefully I can come in and contribute in my own way.” 

Knowing what it takes to be a premiership player - having won one himself in 2011 - Lonergan was impressed with the amount of senior players that returned to pre-season training on day one: a fortnight before they were due back.

Lonergan said the most important part of training from here is not taking anything for granted and working on the little things – key elements that can raise the Blues’ game to the next level. 

“I didn’t expect to see Paddy Cripps and Charlie Curnow and Ed Curnow and ‘Doc’ and all of these guys out on the track, but they were setting the tone for the session for the young guys straight away,” he said. 

“From what I’ve learnt, nothing is given and you’ve got to earn everything. 

“There were some big inroads from previous years this year, but it’s a whole new season and pre-season next year. 

“We get to show some humility, to dig in, to do the one percenters – that’s a really big thing that I’ll be pushing, those one percenters. That’s what sets you up for having a really successful year.”