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Carlton captain Patrick Cripps says Jack Silvagni can force his way into the Blues’ best 23 next season, but that may depend on Michael Voss’ selection philosophy.
Silvagni has signed a two-year contract extension to remain at Visy Park, his future a point of debate when ruckman-forward Tom de Koning emerged as an important figure last season, joining star tall forwards Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay, and frontline ruckman Marc Pittonet.
The third-generation Blue has been used in a variety of positions through the years, most recently as an undersized back-up ruck, and again faces a major fight to earn regular senior selection.
He had a knee injury late last season, which hindered his bid for selection as the Blues made a breakthrough deep finals run, falling just short of the grand final.
Selection squeeze: Patrick Cripps has backed Jack Silvagni to force his way into the Blues’ best 23 next season.Credit: Getty Images
As the Blues confirmed a three-year sponsorship deal with Ampol on Monday, Cripps said Silvagni still had a lot to offer.
“His role is really important. He plays that hybrid forward. He can play tall, he can play small, his pressure. I think his biggest one wood is the competitive energy that he has,” Cripps said.
“That second ruck role that he can play as well, as an under-sized player, a bit more mobility around the ground – it’s all up to the coaching staff in terms of if we go two rucks, or we go the hybrid role. I just know what you are going to get when SOS plays. We all love playing with him.”
Silvagni played 16 senior games last season, his last against West Coast in round 19, taking his career tally to 115 since debuting in 2016.
The Blues had a strong training session on Monday, Silvagni included, as they aim to deliver the club’s first grand-final appearance since 1999. Cripps said the club’s new faces had impressed in the first phase of the pre-season campaign.
“The new boys, Ashton [Moir], Billy [Wilson], Matty [Carroll], they have all fitted in really well and had a crack. Ashton and Billy have done most of the sessions, that’s all you can ask,” he said.
Voss spoke last week about the heightened expectations the Blues face this season. However, Cripps, 28, said there was one word he did not want uttered in a year when the Blues will be in the spotlight, having become a prime-time favourite of host broadcasters.
“I actually hate the word expectations, because you are trying to predict something that hasn’t happened yet,” Cripps, having averaged almost 25 disposals in 24 games last year, said.
“I think we learnt a really hard lesson last year, and I felt like the group lost their confidence in the middle part. I think through that adversity we know what we can focus on to make us a good side … the controllables.
“The external, it doesn’t actually really matter. What really matters is what we value internally. We talk about a lot of things without the ball.
“The one thing we really focused on in that back half of the year was how can we bring a lot of joy and fun around the club. That’s what I feel like last year, as hard as it was, we learnt a really good lesson about what is important to us. I think that’s what gives me a lot of confidence going into this pre-season, and also the season – we know what makes us a good side.”
The Blues open the new season against the Lions in Brisbane on March 8.
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