The Carlton Football Club is proud to announce the first players signed to its new standalone reserves side.

The Club has made eight inaugural signings; James Parsons, Tom North, Ryley Stoddart, Harry Reynolds, Cody Hirst, Alex Cincotta, Toby Wooller and Daniel Guccione.

These players, who all have experience on an AFL or VFL list, are the first to join the Carlton Reserves since the last time the team took to the field in 2002.

The team will compete in the 2021 VFL and East Coast Second-Tier Competition.

Parsons played 35 games at AFL level for Geelong, kicking 26 goals as a powerful midfielder who is capable of displaying his versatility across the ground.

North spent the last three years on Fremantle’s list, with the 21-year-old putting together a consistent 2020 season for Peel Thunder in the WAFL, averaging just under 20 disposals and more than three marks a game through the middle of the ground.

Stoddart has also spent three seasons on an AFL list with the Sydney Swans. Blessed with exceptional pace, he was in the 2019 NEAFL Team of the Year and is capable of playing multiple positions such as half-back, wing and midfield.

Reynolds and Hurst also join the Carlton Reserves after time on the Swans’ list with the former a versatile defender while Hurst is a lively small forward.

Wooller spent three years on Brisbane’s list and was a crucial part of the Lions’ 2019 undefeated NEAFL side up forward.

Cincotta arrives as a powerful inside midfielder/forward from Geelong’s VFL program while Guccione is a cross-code sportsman with a tennis background who has shown great signs since transitioning to football in recent seasons as part of Essendon’s VFL side.

Carlton Reserves coach Daniel O’Keefe said all eight players will add their own strengths to the side.

“It is a great day for us, signing our first group of players to our reserves program,” O’Keefe said.

“We bring in players with experience on an AFL list in James, Cody, Tom, Riley, Harry and Toby, while Alex and Daniel have shown great signs at VFL level. All eight players come into the Club extremely motivated to keep pushing for another opportunity at the elite level and an aim of our reserves pathway is to provide them with every chance to do that.

“As well as developing our players, we also want to be a high performing team on game day. We want to create a winning culture across the entire football club and as a team we want to make sure we are contributing to that.

“This is the first significant step for us as a standalone side in the new-look, second-tier competition. We’re looking forward to getting the hard work started during pre-season.”