“He’s the missing link”: The player Carlton must go hard at this off-season

Port Adelaide’s Dan Houston is “the missing link” that could solve the bulk of Carlton’s issues, according to Dan Hannebery.

The Power defender has been strongly linked to a move to a Victorian club this upcoming trade period, however has made efforts to shut down rumours.

Despite this, Hannebery is calling for the Blues to do whatever it takes to recruit Houston this off-season.

“I’d be going so hard at Dan Houston if I was Carlton, I feel like he’s the missing link,” he told SEN’s Crunch Time.

“They need some more penetration and speed off half-back.”

Hannebery believes that the Blues’ current ball movement approach is what let them down this season, with Carlton typically preferring a methodical approach.

“I’ve got concerns about their ball movement and their ball use off half-back and their ability to really cut games up,” he said.

“Every time I watched them live this year, I thought they weren’t that threatening.

“I just don’t think they’re as damaging at moving the ball as quickly as they need to, which then gives their two twin towers a massive chance to score.

“That’s what I reckon they’re lacking massively because at times, when they go slow and concise, yes it helps your defence set up, but it doesn’t allow the one-on-ones with (Harry) McKay and also (Charlie) Curnow.

“When they did go quickly and with a bit more potency and speed to the one-on-ones in games, they looked unstoppable and I felt like they went away from that in the back half of the year.”

With the existing talent Carlton already has in their backline, Hannebery sees Houston as a perfect fit.

“So you get (Mitch) McGovern back there, you have Houston and you have Nic Newman, all of a sudden you look like a completely different side,” he said.

“(Jacob) Weitering can defend and the other guys can go and use the ball.

“For them to have any chance to compete and be a real top-four side, which they probably were for large parts of the year, that’s where they need to improve.”

Carlton’s full attention will now be on the upcoming trade period after their disappointing 2024 was ended by Brisbane in the first Elimination Final.