Carlton has applied to the AFL to elevate Rookies, Aaron Joseph and Sam Jacobs as Nominated Rookies.

"We have decided to take advantage of the new guidelines introduced by the AFL for this year. As we do not have any veterans we have been applied to elevate two rookie list players, Sam Jacobs and Aaron Joseph, as nominated rookies for 2009," said General Manager Football Operations, Steven Icke.

Sam Jacobs is in his third year at Carlton after originally being recruited from Ardrossan on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia, via Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL. A rookie list player in 2007 and 2008 the 200cm ruckman, who will turn 21 in April, has played in Carlton's four pre-season matches in 2009 to earn his position as a nominated rookie.

Aaron Joseph was Carlton's first selection in the 2008 NAB AFL Rookie Draft, spending last season with Carlton's VFL affiliate club the Northern Bullants. Recruited from Glenorchy in Tasmania via the Tassie Mariners he has also played in Carlton's four pre-season matches, with the highlight being his role on Gary Ablett in the NAB Cup semi-final match against Geelong. The hard running utility is 19 year old and 180cm.