Kristian Jaksch is aiming for continual improvement and adopting a “growth mindset” in his second season at Carlton.
Changing clubs at the end of 2014 from Greater Western Sydney, Jaksch featured at both AFL and VFL level in spurts during his maiden year at Ikon Park, managing six senior games.
The 21-year-old played his first game of the pre-season on Saturday, spending a half at either end in a key position post for the Northern Blues.
Jaksch said he enjoyed getting back out on the park for a run against an opposition side.
“You always come in buzzing at the start of pre-season and then it’s a long three or four months before you start playing games again,” Jaksch said.
“You always forgot how sore you get after that first hit-out, playing against some opposition bodies.”
Deprived of opportunity in the first half with Box Hill in the ascendancy, Jaksch was swung down back in the second half and provided a sure head in defence.
Jaksch said Saturday’s practice match provided the first step in what will hopefully be a beneficial year for both the club and individual.
“The guys who aren’t playing AFL are obviously disappointed but we were excited to get our first run today and it takes time to find your form,” he said.
“It’ll be an ongoing thing, but we’re always looking to improve every week with a growth mindset: I think [the game] is absolutely something to build on going forward.”
On the game, Jaksch re-iterated senior coach Josh Fraser’s sentiments that there were some positive moments to take from the match.
Jaksch said the defining factor ahead of the upcoming season was ensuring the Blues stuck to their structures for the entire contest.
“It was the first time we’ve got some of those Northern Blues guys and Carlton guys together after a whole-of-club reset and we’re still finding out feet, but we’ve got some good, positive things to take out of it,” he said.
“The game was sort of one of two halves in that we had some moments where we were doing really well and other times where we went away from what we wanted to do."
The swingman said he was comfortable playing at either end of the ground and willing to play wherever the coaching staff feels he’s best used.
“I guess the way the game’s going these days, you need to have flexibility at either end of the ground,” he said.
“The more positions you play, the more valuable you are to your team - myself and Jayden Foster did a bit of a switch at half-time which might be something we continue to use going forward.”
With the AFL season just around the corner and two more Northern practice matches to come, Jaksch said the entire playing group was buzzing for the season ahead.
“As I said we’ve had that whole-of-club reset so everyone is really excited to put it into practice on the ground,” he said.
“Everyone’s looking forward to the next couple of weeks and coming up against Richmond next Thursday.”
The Northern Blues’ next practice match will come on Thursday, March 24, taking on Richmond at Punt Road in a curtain raiser to the Round 1 season opener.
