Blues urged to re-sign small forward following seven-year first

Kane Cornes is surprised Carlton hasn’t yet offered Matt Owies a new contract, imploring other teams to try and snap him up.

The small forward has kicked 32 goals so far this season, becoming the first Blue not named Charlie Curnow or Harry McKay to kick 30 goals in a year since 2017.

Levi Casboult kicked 34 and Matthew Wright 30 that year.

The Herald Sun is reporting on Wednesday that the Blues are looking to keep flexibility with their limited salary cap space and likely won’t offer Owies a contract until after the season.

Cornes says the Blues shouldn’t overthink this, suggesting they get a contract in front of him as soon as possible.

“Have the Blues signed Matt Owies yet? I haven’t seen a signature release yet,” Cornes told SEN’s Sportsday.

“He has been held goalless four times this year (two of those as the sub) and he’s kicked 32 goals.

“I’m telling you, these players don’t grow on trees. I love watching him play, I think he’s really important.

“Yes, he’s not Brent Daniels or Dylan Moore or in the upper echelon of the best small forwards in the league, but he is a really important player.

“If the Blues don’t want him, I’ll have him at Port. There would be many teams who would love to get him in the door.

“I love the passion that he plays with, he’s an energiser for his side and he plays well when the team desperately needs him to in a role where it is difficult to find goal kickers.

“How many great small forwards are there in the comp? You can count them on one hand.

“If they don’t want him, there would be six or seven teams who would love to get him.”

Owies is one of a few Blues still out of contract, including injury prone trio Jack Martin, Caleb Marchbank and David Cuningham, young midfielder Jack Carroll and journeyman key defender Sam Durdin.