CARLTON List Manager Mick Agresta says the Blues’ recruiting team has satisfied key areas they hoped to address heading into the Draft, with the midfield a key focus.

“It was a great result for the Club. We were able to address a number of areas,” Agresta said following the conclusion of the NAB AFL Draft and Rookie Draft on Friday.

“We went in with a clear strategy to address our midfield, especially early in the draft and we were able to do that, especially at the top end having two first-round picks.

"We really wanted to get some developing talls that could play forward and back, we were able to also address that. Then we also add some experience to our list with Hugh and Tom."

The first night of the 2018 NAB AFL Draft saw gun midfielder Sam Walsh taken at pick No.1 by Carlton.

The Geelong Falcons product was joined soon after by Sandringham Dragons recruit Liam Stocker, following a live trade between Adelaide and Carlton. The Blues received Stocker and Adelaide’s 2019 first-round selection for Carlton's 2019 first-round pick.

Agresta said the team seized the opportunity to get Stocker to the Blues when he slipped below the pick range they felt he fell into. 

“We had Liam rated really highly," he said.

"Once he kept sliding we thought it was a great opportunity for us to get back in the draft to add to our midfield depth. It was a no-brainer for us to trade back in."

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Oh what a night. #BoundByBlue

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Unlike the live action that unfolded in selecting Stocker, Agresta and his team went into the first day of the Draft with a clear man in mind for pick No.1.

“The decision was around Sam Walsh was probably made a number of weeks ago, but with the live trading we really couldn’t give Sam that commitment or let it out of our team that Sam was our man,” he said.

“Probably a long way out we knew Sam was going to be number one.”

Click here for your chance to meet our No.1 pick and receive a 2019 guernsey by Sam Walsh.

Day two of the draft kept the Carlton faithful on their toes, with more live-trading action. Carlton relinquished pick No.64 for pick No.67 and Adelaide’s 2019 fifth-round pick.

Agresta said the swap would be helpful come future Drafts.

“We really wanted to give ourselves some flexibility in next year’s draft so that was part of the strategy to trade out a couple of picks late in this year’s Draft. It just gives you some flexibility to move some late picks going into next year and 2020.

The Blues also gained a future fourth-round selection and secured 190cm tall Finbar O’Dwyer, before welcoming 196cm utility Ben Silvagni via a father-son selection. Agresta said the two picks showed great potential.

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Welcome home, Ben. With pick No.70, Ben Silvagni is officially going to don the navy blue! #BoundByBlue

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“Finbar and Ben we think are really exciting, developing talls that both can play forward and a little bit back and give us some flexibility. We think they’ve got a lot of scope and improvement in them but they’re both athletic and will add to our list,” he said.

Carlton finalised the Draft period by locking in Hugh Goddard and Tomas Bugg at pick No.1 and No.18 in the Rookie Draft. Agresta said the recruiting team felt the pair were a good match for the playing list.  

“Hugh and Tom have been training with us for the last few weeks and we thought with our traded group they really complement our age profile going forward and give some support around our young, maturing list."