Carlton coach Mick Malthouse talks to Andrew Walker during yesterday's intra-club match at Visy Park. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images
IT was situation normal at Carlton's intra-club practice match yesterday with one distinct difference.
The normal included Brock McLean bringing his own ball and Andrew Walker performing party tricks.
The difference was a grey-haired, fit-looking 59-year-old standing on centre wing, a man who has coached 662 AFL games in 28 seasons with three different clubs.
That person was Mick Malthouse, someone who has Visy Park buzzing after long periods of indifference since the glory of a premiership season in 1995 when the Blues won 23 games.
Andrew Carazzo, in a three-way race for the captaincy vacated by Chris Judd, admitted playing for the first time in front of Malthouse added another dimension.
"The guys are really excited to get into the games and feed off his passion and energy. He has a real presence about him and his success speaks for itself. It's a very exciting time for us," he said.
Malthouse has been careful to keep expectations in-house although privately anything short of September action will be deemed a failure, with the optimistic believing top four is not unrealistic given a good run with injury and improvement.
The latter has to come from players such as Matthew Watson, who looked composed down back yesterday, and Kane Lucas, whose career stalled last year but was prolific on a wing yesterday.
Ruckmen Robbie Warnock and Shaun Hampson, who are locked in a battle for the second rucking position behind Matthew Kreuzer, were both impressive but in different ways.
Warnock is one the smarter tap-ruckmen in the game, whereas Hampson delivers an infectuous energy.
Up forward, Levi Casboult, Luke Mitchell and Sam Rowe showed glimpses on a day where swirling winds made it difficult for marking.
Of that trio, 25-year-old Rowe impressed most with his ability to get to contests and compete, plus displaying recovery that suggests he has returned well after last year being diagnosed with testicular cancer.
Andrew Collins, given another chance via the rookie draft, is another who needs a break-out season and might be on track after a solid hit-out, while Rhys O'Keeffe, 22, may well be a SuperCoach smokey.
Of the new faces, 2012 Morrish medal winner Nick Graham impressed through the midfield, suggesting the pick 54 Carlton used on the Gippsland Power 18-year-old may prove a bargain.
Bryce Gibbs was solid rather than spectacular.
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