AS THE countdown to this year's free agency, trade and draft periods continues, we're looking back at how some current Blues arrived at the Club.
Kicking things off, we rewind to look at the acquisition of No.27 Marc Pittonet.
The deal
While football rumours are around for months preceding the trade period, this was one which came to the table late.
Carlton secured the ruckman from Hawthorn on deadline day, sending picks Nos.54 and 63 to the Hawks for Pittonet as well as pick No.61.
Directly replacing the departing Andrew Phillips, Pittonet had showcased his potential at state level, finishing in the top five of the J.J. Liston Trophy — the VFL’s equivalent of the Brownlow Medal.
“It wasn’t, ‘I’ve chosen Carlton for this reason or that reason’, it was just ‘Carlton’. No mention that it was a bloody difficult decision or anything, just simply ‘Carlton’."
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) October 28, 2020
Taking a deep dive into trades of years gone by, @tony_debolfo looks at how @cjayfive became a Blue.
How it has transpired
While it wasn’t a deal which stole the headlines of last year’s trade period, it was a deal which eventually went down as one of the best-value trades of last year.
It was an unfortunate injury to Matthew Kreuzer that saw Pittonet get thrown to the front line quicker than the football world had anticipated.
However, having been waiting for his chance for five years, Pittonet took the opportunity with both hands.
He became a valuable asset for Carlton’s midfield in just his first year at the Club, going head-to-head with the likes of Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy while posting AFLCA votes in two of his first three games.
Rotating alongside Tom De Koning through the ruck, the Blues’ ruck stocks look settled for a long time.
The best moment
You never forget your first win in Navy Blue.
Pittonet’s came in his second Carlton game, when the team headed down the highway and shocked Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.
A crucial factor in the Blues’ hot start against the Cats, Pittonet got the better of Geelong ruckman Rhys Stanley, managing 36 hitouts (a career-high total) to 17, as well as three tackles and six contested possessions.
It was a dominant game from the new Blue ruckman, polling seven AFLCA votes: it was the game Pittonet needed to prove himself as an AFL ruckman, and he did exactly that.
Where to from here?
2020 was only the start for the big man.
After a consistent season, Pittonet will continue to hone his craft in the ruck, building on what he learnt from Matthew Kreuzer this year.
As he embarks on some healthy competition with fellow ruckman De Koning, Pittonet believes the duo can only improve each other in the future.
While De Koning broke through for seven senior games, you know Pittonet won’t be resting on his laurels when it comes to the No.1 ruck role.
