What the Blues must do to get the best out of Sam Walsh

Brad Johnson has returned with the “Worried Ladder” after Round 2 and headlining the list is one of the AFL’s premium midfielders.

After Carlton’s sluggish start to the season, Johnson has highlighted former No.1 pick Sam Walsh as a worry through two games in 2025.

Johnson feels the Blues need to help the midfielder get more ball on the outside in order to use his elite running capacity.

“I love this guy so much as a player, but Sam Walsh needs to change the way he is playing his football at the moment,” Johnson told SEN’s Sportsday.

“For Carlton to be better, I think Sam needs to play a different role with this team.

“Watching him at ground level the other night, he works, no dramas, and he has got that ability to win contested ball, but his best football is to receive on the outside, it’s the break run into space that we are not seeing as often.

“Maybe it is the injuries that he has had to overcome that have just halted that a little bit and maybe it will come over the next couple of weeks but seeing him get the ball in congestion and dump kick, trying torpedoes out of packs and ineffective kicks downfield, I think that’s the aspect for me.

“A couple that he did bang on the boot, watching at ground level, he seemed to have a whole of space to power into and then be able to use the ball probably more effectively, so it is just like he is rushing his disposal in congestion at the moment.

“He’s got the ability through his mind to be able to see that gap and hit it and get out of it.

“I’d love to see him maybe bring that back in, that stamp, the power that he has got in his run and break away because even if he does get tackled in congestion, because he has got that forward movement his arms will be free.

“(Patrick) Cripps will be the release, there will be the half-back release, (Adam) Saad, they’ll be there to support him, but he needs to work on it himself for the Blues to start making ground on this season.”

The 24-year-old entered Round 1 off the back of a hamstring strain which hampered his pre-season for a third straight year.

After two games this season, Walsh is averaging just over 23 disposals (lowest since 2020), at just 55 per cent efficiency.

“Walsh is a gun, we know that,” Johnson continued.

“At the moment he is just happy to get the ball and he’s bombing it out when he has got time and space to do more with it and with himself in those scenarios.”

You can listen to the “Worried Ladder” with Brad Johnson below.