CARLTON fans have found themselves a new cult hero, with wiry half-back Josh Bootsma making an immediate impression in his AFL debut against Greater Western Sydney on Sunday.

Subbed into the match in the final quarter, the 19-year-old West Australian gathered seven disposals in 25 minutes of football as the Blues ran out 67-point winners.

So impressed with Bootsma (who sports a distinctive mop of blonde hair) was the Carlton crowd, it cheered his every touch.

"It takes some blokes 100 games to get that popularity, but whether it's the hair or what it is I'm not sure, but if he's a cult hero already, good luck to him," Carlton coach Brett Ratten said post-match.

Still lightly framed and under-developed having graduated to WAFL colts level from local football only midway through last year, Bootsma was a late inclusion in the Blues' line-up, replacing Ed Curnow.

He is likely to make way for Chris Yarran next week, but Ratten said he would look for opportunities to play Bootsma again during the season.

"He's going to take a bit more time, but we just thought it would be a really good chance, after Ed trained yesterday and didn't come up, we thought we'd give Josh a go because he deserved it," Ratten said.

"He's been our best player the last two weeks at VFL level, so it was a great reward for him.

"He'll get another taste, but I can't say when.

"It's hard with the kids.

"You want to keep progressing your list, but if you push them too hard too quickly, you can dent their confidence or put them into a state of fatigue, which then they can't get up for the next game. And that hurts their season."

Ratten compared Bootsma to Dustin Fletcher in build, given his slim frame and long limbs.

"He's got those long arms and seems to find a way to get those arms in to spoil," Ratten said.

"I don't think he's going to become the Hercules of the competition; he's going to be a finer type athlete who can really run.

"And that's going to be one of his strengths."