How Carlton’s 12 GWS recruits have fared

Carlton's ongoing recruitment of wantaway Giants has been a bit of a running gag across the past seven or so off-seasons, with incoming players leaving a splash of charcoal and orange on the CFC monogram.

Between 2014-2020, the Blues signed a dozen players from the AFL's youngest club, many of whom have departed Princes Park after short stints in navy blue.

Among the 12 players that have swapped Sydney's west for Princes Park, just four still ply their trade at the club, while fringe midfielder Will Setterfield has departed to join his third club in Essendon.

The former Pick 5 managed 55 games in four years with the Blues, adding to the frustrating trend of fellow Giants who turned to Carlton to see a spark in their careers.

Pair Kristian Jaksch and Mark Whiley were the first to join the Blues, switching New South Wales for Victoria ahead of the 2015 season in a trade that saw Pick 7 land with the Giants, while the Blues also gained Pick 19.

Whiley was delisted by the end of his second season on Royal Parade after just nine AFL appearances with the club, while Jaksch lasted a further 12 months before facing the axe after adding seven games to his career.

At the end of 2015, the Blues had recruited Lachie Plowman, Jed Lamb, Andrew Phillips and Liam Sumner in a single deal with the Giants, along with acquiring Pick 8.

Plowman is currently one of the four players that remain with Carlton, however, continues to fight for a spot in Michael Voss' backline after 124 games with the Victorian powerhouse.

Lamb left the Blues after 44 games with the club, being among their list changes at the end of 2018.

Phillips switched to Essendon after four years and 27 games with the Blues, while Sumner managed 20 games for Carlton in two seasons with the club.

The 2016 off-season saw Carlton recruit another three GWS players, with Rhys Palmer joining his third club after initially being drafted into the AFL with Fremantle.

Palmer, who was traded for Pick 135, managed just one game in his only year for the Blues, with his delisting bringing an end to his 123-game career.

Current backman Caleb Marchbank and former forward Jarrod Pickett also joined the Blues ahead of the 2017 season, with the Blues parting with a future first-round selection and two later picks for the pair and a future second-round selection.

While Marchbank is continuing to build on his career, which has faced a number of setbacks through injury, Pickett's time with the Blues was cut short.

The South Fremantle product parted ways with the Blues midway through the 2019 season, ending his 17-game career.

Matthew Kennedy would join the Blues in 2017 as another former first-round pick to leave the Giants, where the San Isidore product was positioned for just two seasons.

Prior to 2022, Kennedy had struggled to cement his place in Carlton's senior side, even being placed on a rookie deal for the 2021 season.

But after earning back some plaudits, Kennedy has added to a formidable engine room ensemble alongside Brownlow Medal winner Patrick Cripps, young star Sam Walsh and 2021 recruits George Hewett and Adam Cerra.

Kennedy played a career-high 17 games this year, averaging 24.47 disposals, 4.06 tackles, 4.59 clearances, 4.29 tackles and 11.06 contested possessions per game.

A year after Kennedy's arrival, the aforementioned Will Setterfield joined the Blues as another promising midfielder from GWS.

Another frustrating tenure with the Blues saw Setterfield seek a move to Tullamarine after facing limited opportunities in 2022.

The fourth and final Blue still with the club is Zac Williams, who has been the most high-profile Giant to make the switch to Royal Parade.

Williams joined Carlton at the end of the 2020 season on a six-year contract with a reported salary in the vicinity of $750,000 per season.

The Narrandera product has battled to secure the midfield presence many thought he would master by now, but the Blues' recruitment drives since adding Williams have forced the versatile ex-Giant to mostly feature at half-back.

Injuries have also hampered Willaims' opening 24 months at the Blues, having been limited to 23 games since joining the club.

Across the 12 GWS players that have turned to the Blues, the average games played from the list sits at 35.9 matches each.

Plowman is the only player to have managed 60 or more games, while seven have failed to reach 30 games.

Carlton's list of GWS recruits