ONCE UPON a time, it used to be the Mosquito Fleet at Carlton that tormented opposition defences. Then it was the Three Amigos running rampant. 

And if Matthew Owies has his way, there’s a new age of small forwards which will have just as big of a say in the Blues’ fortunes in the years ahead.

He’s even got a nickname for them.

“I’m going to go early on it, and say we’re the ‘Skeeters’. I hope it takes off: it has been used a couple of times, it hasn’t grown legs yet — this article might help!”

Owies joined Carlton Media for this week’s Friday Feature, and it was all about the craft of the small forward and what kind of role they’re going to play in Navy Blue this year.

The first question, however, is what the mix will be — and who specifically are regarded as the ‘Skeeters’, as Carlton’s No.44 likes to refer to them as.

He’s well and truly aware of the groups of years gone by. 

“We’re pretty well-read up on it now. We’re trying to make our own little crew.

“There’s ‘Fog’, ‘Mots’, little ‘Durds’, ‘Raz’, myself and we’ll put 'Cotts' in there as well, he’s made himself a forward. I hope I haven’t missed anyone, I’m going with them as the definitive group.

“What we’re always going after is pressure, getting in people’s faces, having some fun and hitting the scoreboard ourselves. I’m looking forward to seeing how all the different combinations go this year.”

Of those six, it’s easy to forget that Owies has been at the footy club the longest of that group. It was ahead of the 2019 season when Owies arrived at Carlton, and it wasn’t until Round 16 of the 2020 campaign when he broke through for his first senior game.

Fittingly, there was a particularly prominent small forward who Owies replaced that day, and he’s arguably the teammate who’s had the biggest impact on Owies’ career to date.

“When Eddie Betts was at Carlton the first time, he was with Jeff Garlett and Chris Yarran. When he came back, he was really instrumental in helping me with the small forward craft and what it’s like to be a small forward.

“To learn off him and try and be half the player he was, the craft and what’s relished as a small forward are the big things he taught me.”

It certainly helps that this modern day group of small forwards are playing in a system which values two words more than anything else.

How many times does he guess Michael Voss had said the words ‘pressure’ and ‘contest’ to date this pre-season?

“I’m setting the line at about 1000! It would have to be, wouldn’t it?

“It’s a clear model that we want to go after, we know it works for us. We know what works for us now, and we’re spent a whole pre-season going after our strengths.

“For me and the others, it’s what we bring to the team and what we’re valued for. We’re lucky to have a coach that preaches that.”

It also helps that the Owies you see on the ground is largely the same away from prying eyes.

As he mentioned, “getting in people’s faces” is a key part of the ‘Skeeters’’ identity. He just can’t help that he also extends that to his teammates.

“Sometimes I probably get a bit carried away. It’s funny, an old coach of mine said ‘sport brings out things in life’. You can’t just take your characteristics away, it all comes out!

“I’m serious when it comes to getting after the job, but I like to have a laugh. Life’s too short to be serious all the time.

“I’m just trying to stir the pot a little bit. I do miss Josh Honey, he was my partner in crime, but there’s a couple that are putting their hand up for the mantle to help me out on my journey.”