Can you feel it?
Things are starting to ramp up as we head toward the Match Sims and into the AAMI Series. Not long until footy’s back, and I am pumped for the new season.
Round Zero offers us a mouth-watering season-opening clash, pitting the Swans against the Blues. Both clubs disappointed in 2025, with Carlton losing two of their best big men in the off-season to add salt to the wounds of 2025.
And it just so happens they lost one of those players to their Round Zero opponents.
I am sure Carlton track watchers have seen this matchup a hundred times, but for the first time, we get a serious Charlie Curnow versus Jacob Weitering clash with all eyes on it.
But they’re not the only big names with the pressure on, as a former Coleman Medallist finds himself back in position at full forward for the Blues.
So, who is under the most pressure heading into the first game of 2026?
Is it Charlie Curnow, who turned his back on the Blues and headed to the bright, yet less-intense spotlight of Sydney?
Is it Jacob Weitering, who has been one of the best defenders of the past five years, and now gets to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with his former teammate?
Or is it Harry McKay, who moved into a support role when Curnow emerged as Carlton’s number one forward.
Time to explore, as we start to count down to the 2026 AFL season.
CHARLIE CURNOW IS UNDER THE MOST PRESSURE
Charlie made the move. He decided that he was better-suited to a different club, and a different environment. He made the decision to jump ship, and by default, that places the onus on him to deliver.
Adding to that pressure is that the AFL, by pure chance, I’m sure, have scheduled him to go up against his old team to kick the season off.
The Sydney forward setup was a mess in 2025. Logan McDonald was hurt, Hayden McLean and Joel Amartey were unable to impact, and Tom Papley sat out extended periods, which impacted his ability to wield influence in the front half.
With Isaac Heeney forced to hit the scoreboard to keep the Swans afloat, the attack fell over.
Is Charlie the man to stand it back up again?
Whilst Sydney will be buoyed by the return of a healthy Errol Gulden, and several others, it is the acquisition of Curnow that supporters are pinning their hopes on to relaunch the Swans back into the top eight.
He has missed the tail end of the last two seasons, and suddenly, Carlton fans have started to use the words “overrated” and “lazy” to describe him.
He wants to prove them all wrong. He also wants to justify that move to Sydney, and the Opening Round provides the perfect setting.
JACOB WEITERING IS UNDER THE MOST PRESSURE
It just seems wrong that Weitering has only one All-Australian selection to his name, doesn’t it?
I mean, he has been at, or around the top echelon of key defenders for the last half a decade, but he is criminally underrated by just about everyone outside of the Navy Blue faithful. He goes about his work, gets the job done, and does so with a minimum of fuss.
Maybe that’s why the footy experts find him easy to ignore?
You know what you cannot ignore? The fact that in the first game of footy for the season, he will likely be lining up on the Swans’ most dangerous forward.
Whilst I wouldn’t be surprised to see Voss throw a different look at Charlie early on, there will come a point where he looks to his number one defender to put the clamps on him.
Is Weitering up to the challenge?
Carlton supporters seem quite confident about it. Weitering is the classic wet-blanket defender. He has the strength and size to go with Curnow and shut him down, and he has been working with him every week for years.
Can he get it done on the big stage, or does he fail under the bright lights of the SCG against his former teammate?
HARRY MCKAY IS UNDER THE MOST PRESSURE
And we come to Harry.
It was only five seasons ago that Harry McKay was arguably the best power forward in the game. In 2021, he won the Coleman Medal, his third-straight leading goal kicker award at Carlton, and was rewarded with an All-Australian selection.
And then Charlie Curnow hit form, and Harry was relegated to the back blocks.
Poor form, injury, and mental health issues have pushed him into the background, but for the Blues to remain competitive in 2026, he cannot remain there. He has to become the player he praised to be.
He’ll likely find he has Tom McCartin for company, who is a very similar player to Weitering – workmanlike, clinical. McKay needs to steal the thunder from the Curnow v Weitering clash, and if he can, he may well go a long way to propelling Carlton back up the ladder.
Yes, it is a mouth-watering Opening Round clash, indeed, with a great number of crucial factors determining the outcome. However, if we’re looking at big names needing big games, look no further than the trio listed above. Each one of them would be desperate to get the new season off to a great start. And with such personal stakes involved, a win here would be the perfect way to not only start the year, but to instil absolute confidence in their teammates.
Did Charlie make the right move?
Can Jacob shut him down?
Will Harry steal their thunder?
Four points might just depend on the answer.
No pressure, boys.
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. You can see the amount of care that goes into it. I love footy, I love writing about it, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Without you, this whole thing falls over. Sincerely… thank you – HB
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