THE ANNUAL look-ahead to some big milestones in the offing.

As is the case every year, there looks like there’ll be plenty to celebrate at IKON Park in 2024 by way of player milestones, with up to 16 Blues in line to reach landmarks during the home-and-away season.

A double double century

All things going well, there’ll be two considerable milestones for two Navy Blue favourites in 2024.

The captain Patrick Cripps is one of those, with his double century currently scheduled for the Round 18 clash with the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium. Cripps, who sits on 183 career games so far, would become the 39th player to play 200 games in Navy Blue should he reach the milestone in 2024.

Not to be outdone is Adam Saad, who’ll need a full home-and-away season to reach the 200 mark in the final round of the season against St Kilda. So far, 68 of Saad’s 177 games have come in Navy Blue after previous stints at Gold Coast (48 games) and Essendon (61 games).

Potential 200 career game milestones: Patrick Cripps (183)*, Adam Saad (177)

A triple treat for Blue recruits

Three players who have been recruited to IKON Park in recent seasons could all celebrate the 150-game milestone in their careers in 2024.

The first cab off the rank is Jack Martin, with the former Sun currently on 148 games. The damaging forward is currently in line to celebrate his milestone in Round 1 against Richmond — the same team who he debuted against for both Gold Coast and Carlton.

Well and truly a fan favourite in Navy Blue already following his exploits in 2023, Blake Acres is just five games away from his 150th milestone (scheduled to be Round 5 against Adelaide). Similar to Saad, Acres’ 150 career matches would come after stints at three clubs after starting out at St Kilda and later Fremantle.

The last of the three is Zac Williams, someone who everyone is hoping just to see back out there after missing all the action in 2023 due to an ACL injury. The speedster is 14 games shy of game No.150.

Potential 150 career game milestones: Jack Martin (148), Blake Acres (145), Zac Williams (136)

100 in touching distance . . . plus a New name on the locker?

Much like Jack Silvagni last year, there are a few Blues who find themselves on 99 games coming into the new season.

One of those is Sam Walsh, who - after having delayed starts to the season for the past two years - will look to achieve the milestone against his boyhood club Brisbane at the Gabba in the Opening Round.

That’s also the case for Orazio Fantasia, who arrives at his third club just one match short of a century of games at the elite level.

Walsh’s great mate Matthew Kennedy would also have one eye on his 100th career game — particularly if he has a perfect start to the year. Should his start to the year in the senior team be uninterrupted, Kennedy’s career century would come against his former side in GWS.

It’ll be a bit of a longer wait for Nic Newman should he achieve 100 games in the Navy Blue, with the defender - coming off a career-best season - needing a further 21 games to get his name on the No.24 locker.

Potential 100 career game milestones: Sam Walsh (99)*, Orazio Fantasia (99), Matthew Kennedy (94)
Potential 100 Carlton game milestones: Nic Newman (79)

A host nearing a half century

There’s a number of Blues who are looking to tick off the achievement of 50 games, whether that’s over their careers or in their current colours.

Matthew Owies is another eyeing off an Opening Round milestone, ending his 2023 season on 49 games, with fellow small forwards Corey Durdin and Jesse Motlop also hoping to lock down their spot and achieve 50 career games.

Then, there’s Adam Cerra, Lachie Fogarty, George Hewett and Lewis Young who could all achieve 50 Carlton games.

Potential 50 career game milestones: Matthew Owies (49)*, Corey Durdin (34)*, Jesse Motlop (33)*
Potential 50 Carlton game milestones: Adam Cerra (40), George Hewett (37), Lewis Young (34), Lachie Fogarty (32)

And as for the debuts…

We’ve just mentioned that Orazio Fantasia’s Navy Blue debut will also be his 100th career game, while Elijah Hollands is also eyeing off his first Carlton game in 2024 after his previous stint at Gold Coast.

Rounding things out are nine Blues looking for their first senior nods, with the 2023 intake of Ashton Moir, Billy Wilson, Matthew Carroll and Rob Monahan among them.

Potential AFL debutants: Jaxon Binns, Harry Lemmey, Matthew Carroll, Rob Monahan, Billy Wilson, Hudson O’Keeffe, Dom Akuei, Ashton Moir, Alex Mirkov
Potential Carlton debutants: Orazio Fantasia, Elijah Hollands

* denotes career and Club milestone.