North Melbourne great David King believes Carlton must go "all in" for star Giant Zac Williams.
The Blues were brave in their 22-point defeat against the Eagles on Sunday, with outside speed a clear issue as the Eagles got on top during the third quarter.
According to King, the Blues should target Williams, who is a free agent at the end of 2020.
Williams also fits the age demographic and the player profile the Blues will be targeting - his speed and ability to break the lines would help transform Carlton's relatively one-paced midfield.
King believes the Blues need to have a serious crack at securing Williams at seasons end.
“I think they need someone with some serious wheels in the middle of the ground. They should be going all in for Zac Williams from GWS, throwing the world at him,” King said on Fox Sports.
“Try and get someone who can explode from the middle or off halfback and change the course of a game.
“They’re dour, they’re honest, they’re building beautifully but they need a spark player.”
It is widely viewed that Williams as very gettable given the Giants' salary cap squeeze.
“I don’t see any way that Zac Williams can stay at that club,” journalist Sam McClure said on Footy Classified late last month.
“(Stephen) Coniglio is captain. (Lachie) Whitfield and (Toby) Greene you’d think are untradeable. (Jeremy) Cameron sets himself apart because he’s the key forward and he’s just about to recommit.”
King suggested the Blues could trade one of their talls at the end of the season, but that seems unlikely.
Charlie Curnow is out for the season but is likely untouchable, Harry McKay and Mitch McGovern have impressed when fit and Levi Casboult leads the Blues goal kicking and is 30 years old.
“They’ve got tradeable commodities with their talls, that could get them so much to fill the holes on their list,” he said.