Carlton Supporters Club

I reckon you should go watch a pre-season game or 2. He put in quite a few hard tackles and looked very comfortable at stages. So much so, that i had him as my 23rd player on the list at the start of the year based on those qualities you listed.

Sure, he hasn't shown a whole lot of them during the year, but he hasn't had much going for him. Yazz hasn't shown much of those qualities of late, and he's a 'seasoned pro'. This kid has played half a season.....under 2 senior coaches plus 1 VFL coach. Give the kid a chance!

“Blaine ticked the boxes for us with his speed, agility and outside run. He’s the type of player who really takes on the opposition and will give us some depth in the midfield,” Rogers said.

“Having had a couple of years of development in the WAFL his body has matured a little more and he has matured as a player, making him someone who could easily slot into our team straight away.”

Some of us may have taken Rogers at his word  and expected a ready made player.  Clearly that is not the case and we should be giving Boekhorst the same opportunity to prove himself as we give other first year players, or even players who are in their first season with us after a couple (or seven) years in the system.

He shouldn't be punished for our draft decisions but you also can't treat him as an 18 year old kid. I would cut my losses if he isn't a regular by the time his contract expires.

I reckon you should go watch a pre-season game or 2. He put in quite a few hard tackles and looked very comfortable at stages. So much so, that i had him as my 23rd player on the list at the start of the year based on those qualities you listed.

Sure, he hasn't shown a whole lot of them during the year, but he hasn't had much going for him. Yazz hasn't shown much of those qualities of late, and he's a 'seasoned pro'. This kid has played half a season.....under 2 senior coaches plus 1 VFL coach. Give the kid a chance!

He shouldn't be punished for our draft decisions but you also can't treat him as an 18 year old kid. I would cut my losses if he isn't a regular by the time his contract expires.

Don't get me wrong, I am not sacking him now, but you have to ask the following question:

Off early exposure, of Cripps, Graham, Boekhorst, Menzel, ill add Smith and ill put in Matthew Kreuzer, Chris Yarran, Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs in here for a measured bit of a litmus test (thinking of their early games), which one of them concerns you the most regarding their ability to make the grade?

My answer is Boekhorst.

That can and hopefully will change, but what I have adjusted regarding Boekhorst in my mindset.

For reference, of that lot, even Smith or Gibbs would be the next one I would list, which means he can make it, but Im not expecting him to.

As another reference point, Simpson is another who we would have in the same boat.  Boekhorst may very well be a 200 game player.  No one knows what happens from here, but the expectation HAS to shift based on his early football.

So, I am stating my position that I dont think he'll make it.  Lets hope he does a Simpson, but I doubt it particularly in a game plan that asks for a bit of effort and thats about it.