Over the course of the 2015 AFL Trade Period, we’ll count down Carlton’s top-10 trades over the past 30 years.
Which stars reinvigorated their careers donning the Navy Blue? And who made Carlton their second home?
Coming in at No.4: Matthew Lappin
The Trade: Carlton traded its No.22 (James Begley) and No.53 (Troy Schwarze) draft picks to St Kilda for Matthew Lappin and pick No.58 (Ian Prendergast) in 1998. Begley went on to play 61 games for the Saints, while Schwarze played 71. Prendergast featured in 65 games for the Blues.
Matthew Lappin during his St Kilda days. (Photo: AFL Photos)
After 55 games and 26 goals for St Kilda, Matthew Lappin crossed over to Carlton at the end of 1998 to modest fanfare, but that was all about to change very quickly.
One game in the Navy Blue – and one very fond memory – was all it took for Lappin to instantly become one of the fan favourites.
It came in the Blues’ 1999 season opener against Essendon, where Lappin was awarded the AFL’s Mark of the Year on debut for his specky on the goal-line.
From there on, there was no looking back for Lappin, who would go on to play 196 games for Carlton in eight seasons.
Not a bad way to make your Carlton debut! Matthew Lappin takes the 1999 Mark of the Year. (Photo: AFL Photos)
Though small in stature, the man affectionately known as “Skinny” was a panacea for Blues fans in some of the club’s darkest years, thrilling with his freakish skills and instinctive goal sense and leading the club’s goalkicking in 2001 with 49 majors as a small forward.
His best year was to come in 2004, however, when he was thrown into defence to become an All-Australian, poll the most votes for Carlton in the Brownlow Medal and finish third in the John Nicholls Medal – the Blues’ best and fairest.
Coincidentally, Lappin’s last game for Carlton was to come in Round 20, 2007 against the same side he made his Blues debut against: Essendon.
He’ll forever be remembered as one of the most popular players in Carlton’s history, and one of the club’s shrewdest acquisitions.
Top Trades: #10 - Andrejs Everitt
Top Trades: #9 - Corey McKernan
Top Trades: #8 - Sam Docherty
Top Trades: #7 - Ron De Iulio
Top Trades: #6 - Adrian Hickmott
Top Trades: #5 - Earl Spalding
Who will make up the top three? Stay tuned to carltonfc.com.au over the course of the AFL Trade Period to find out!
