CARLTON will keep the door open to participating in the mid-season draft, after the final pre-season list lodgement was finalised today.

March 15 officially signified the end of the pre-season supplemental selection period (SSP), where clubs could add players who had either previously been on an AFL list or nominated for the draft.

The next chance which clubs will get to add to their list will be the new mid-season draft later in the year.

List Manager Michael Agresta said it would be “business as usual” until then.

“We’ll be getting around to the state leagues and the NAB League, to see the best 19-year-olds and mature players. Nothing really changes there,” Agresta said.

“We’ll keep our options open to see if we participate in the mid-season draft.”

The Blues were one of the first to enjoy the luxuries of the new SSP rules, memorably selecting Michael Gibbons and Matthew Cottrell at the Club’s pre-season camp.

Agresta said the ability to adapt and add to the list on the eve of the season was an overwhelming positive.

“The new rules have been outstanding… it gives us some flexibility with our list strategy,” he said.

From the traded-in recruits to the draftees to the late signings, Agresta believes the Blues’ additions have fit in from the outset.

He said the acquisitions had checked off a key area Carlton had been targeting in the off-season.

“They’ve given us some real depth,” he said.

“The traded recruits have been excellent, they’ve adapted to the Carlton way. 

“The draftees have also fit in really well: it’s been a change for them, coming out of school or the workforce and into a full-time, professional environment.”

With Round 1 right around the corner, Agresta said there would be some welcome selection headaches in the early stages of the season.

“The list is in a really strong position. We’ve got some really good depth,” he said.

“There are going to be some really tough decisions to make with selection in the early part of the year.”