Eddie Betts has backed Sam Petrevski-Seton to crack the Carlton midfield next season despite rumours the Western Australian could be on his way home at the end of 2021.
Petrevski-Seton's time at Carlton is delicately poised with the Blues reportedly keen on bringing in Adam Cerra from Fremantle and the Dockers willing to bring Petrevski-Seton back home.
The former pick five has struggled over the last two seasons under David Teague with a move from the midfield to half back seemingly halting the progress of the silky Petrevski-Seton.
The retiring Eddie Betts believes there is still a place at the Blues for Petrevski-Seton despite reports he will depart Ikon Park.
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Betts said that his teammate has been frustrated with a lack of midfield time under Teague but needed to get his tank right before making the step up to be a permanent part of the Carlton engine room.
“When you look at Jacob (Weitering) and Sam (Walsh), their positions are set in stone,” Betts said on Sportsday.
“Sam’s (Walsh) always going to be in the midfield, Jacob’s always going to be full-back.
“I guess for Sam (Petrevski-Seton) he’s been thrown around this year in a few different spots and I believe he really wants to play in the midfield.
“He’s got to build his tank up a little bit because he’s got the skills to use it. He’s playing in the midfield in the VFL and he’s dominating, using his skills to hit targets and racking up 30 disposals.
Betts said that Petrevski-Seton has been frustrated with his constant changing of roles in the Carlton side but that it's up to the 23-year-old to take control over the next part of his career.
“I guess with him he’s been a little bit frustrated this year that he wanted to cement a spot in the side, but that wasn’t happening because he was at half-back, in the midfield, came down forward to try a small forward role and it just wasn’t clicking," Betts said.
“I reckon he needs to cement his spot, but over this pre-season he needs to get his tank right and just say, ‘Listen, put me in the midfield, I deserve a spot in this midfield’, and just go from there.”
Tom Morris of Fox Footy is reporting that Petrevski-Seton is likely to leave the Blues at the end of the season in pursuit of more consistent senior opportunities in the midfield.
Petrevski-Seton has not been homesick in his time at Carlton and loves it at the Blues but is keen to cement a spot as a midfielder at AFL level.
“Sam Petrevski-Seton, everyone really expects him to go home to Perth, not because he doesn’t like playing at the Blues but because he wants more senior opportunities. Certainly Fremantle are in the running for him,” Morris told Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight.