THE FIRST to 50. 

When Ned Cahill was informed that he’d be the first Carlton Reserves player to 50 games for the team this weekend, he was taken aback. 

“It was random as! When Eleni [Valos, VFL Operations Coordinator] told me that, you kind of forget that it’s only been a few years of the Carlton Reserves.

“You’re thinking, surely there’s people before me that played 50 games. But when you think it used to be the Northern Blues, I’m very proud to be the first one to do it. 

“Being with the program for three years, it means a lot.”

But that will become the reality for Cahill, who has been a mainstay and key driver of the VFL Blues in now his third year at IKON Park. 

Cahill - who was recruited from Essendon after six AFL games - was at something of a crossroads, having only experienced two Covid-affected seasons while on an AFL list. 

In the Carlton Reserves, he not only found a football home — but also his confidence. 

“It feels like my club now, which is nice — it’s got a local club feel. 

“In 2020 and 2021 with Essendon, everything in the world was all over the shop. The confidence might not have been in there because I was in and out and everything was happening in the outside world. 

“Carlton has been a big part in feeling more confident with my football.”

Cahill arrived at the Blues heading into the team’s second season in the competition, which culminated in a VFL finals berth. They would’ve made it two from two last year if not for a brutal defeat to eventual premier Gold Coast in the final game of the season. 

This year has been much different, with a new-look - and much younger - Carlton side recording two wins for the season. 

A number of VFL-experienced Blues sought new pastures at the end of 2023 like Ben Crocker, Luke Parks and Ben Ronke, while injuries earlier in the year saw Carlton at times field no players with AFL experience. 

Despite a number of a close defeats in 2024, you don’t have look much further than Cahill to find someone who has been a key source of energy and enthusiasm as the campaign has progressed. 

“The ladder doesn’t reflect how much we’re working and the good football we’re playing at the moment, I think it’s just because we’re very young.

“I think the team is just as talented as it was back then, even though it’s completely different. All the boys have said that we’ve got a very talented side, even just talking about the VFL program, but we’re very young.

“In a program like the VFL, the team changes all the time. You’ve got players like ‘Macca’ now in his second year, Zavier Maher who’s been around for a bit, Micky Lewis — they’ve stood up. Lachie Young has come into the program, Will Hayes is back, so you get a bit of maturity which is nice.

“Myself and Luke [Power] have a really good connection, it’s why I stayed around and wanted to go again. He’s been awesome in keeping everyone engaged.”