CARLTON'S season has meant even the wildest considerations don't seem quite so crazy as they might have been.
After back-to-back Coleman Medals in 2022-23 and another 57 goals last year, Charlie Curnow entered this year as a Blues untouchable. His importance to Carlton remains as strong that if his side is to challenge Collingwood on Friday night, Curnow would likely need to be a key player.
His form this season, plus that of his club, has seen many clubs be quick to wonder about his future at Carlton and whether the Blues would look at a 'Blow it up' option and trade out a star.
As one of Carlton's big six – alongside Patrick Cripps, Sam Walsh, Harry McKay, Jacob Weitering and Tom De Koning – the Blues have built around the group to chase success.
It hasn't come and in Michael Voss' fourth year, the team has regressed and is three wins outside of the top eight. The big six also looks destined to become five, with De Koning strongly tipped to head to St Kilda as a free agent.
But will it be down to four or even three?
Curnow has four years left on his million-dollar deal, which runs through to the end of 2029 and was signed in 2022 after Geelong came with a big offer. At 28, he is viewed as still having a significant portion of his career to come, having had an interrupted pre-season this year with knee issues.
Along with Walsh, the pair represent the most valuable commodities Carlton has.
The question on Walsh is perhaps more pertinent given his looming free agency call next year and the fact clubs, like Geelong and St Kilda, are already sewing the seeds of early interest. He will be in no rush to make a contract call and nor should he be.
McKay, who is signed until the end of 2030, is viewed as more of a trade option amidst a challenging season.
Together, McKay and Curnow have been Carlton's forward line point of difference as twin towers combining for more than 100 goals in each of the past three seasons. This year, they have tallied 36 goals from 21 matches. As the game has swung in favour of quality smalls in finals series in recent years, Carlton has not been able to unearth a consistent ground-level forward to complement the pair.
The 'What if?' on Curnow – what if he was open to a move – would be unlikely to sway Carlton, but rivals will ask the question and many already have. Clubs rarely trade their favourite sons (ask Christian Petracca) and a shallow, compromised draft class means the benefit would be low and the risk high.
Plus, key forwards are the most tightly held assets by list managers – since Tom Lynch left Gold Coast as a free agent in 2018, the premium forwards to switch clubs have been Jeremy Cameron and Joe Daniher, who both used free agency to exit in 2020.
Ben Brown, in the same trade period, also changed clubs but there have been few other high-profile big swings.
The other considerable factor is the coach. Whether it is Voss coaching for his future in 2026 in the final year of his contract, or a new coach taking the reins, it is unlikely either would want a Blues line-up sans Curnow.
Carlton president Robert Priestly astutely fronted the media this week and took the heat slightly out of the situation at the club, saying in the off-season they can make "really calm, rational and though-through decisions for the long-term interests of this club".
The future of star players will need to be part of that.
