Carlton star Charlie Curnow shuts down trade speculation but question remains
Curnow has this week been linked to Gold Coast, Sydney and Geelong as the Blues limp towards the end of a horror season.
But the 28-year-old on Thursday night denied reports he had sought a move away from Ikon Park.
'I obviously want to be here,' Curnow told reporters after the Blues' 13.7 (85) to 9.7 (61) defeat to Hawthorn.
'I don't really want to make this about me right now, but I'm playing at Carlton next year. There you go. Done.'
A two-time Coleman Medal winner, Curnow has another four years left to run on his lucrative deal with Carlton.
Blues coach Michael Voss said the spearhead's future had not been a talking point internally this week, while Curnow rubbished reports he had told the club he is keen to explore his options.
'No, nothing has happened,' Curnow said.
'I'm just putting all of my time into playing footy at this club for the next year and the future years.'
After the game, 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary was quizzed on all the Curnow trade whispers that have been buzzing all week.
'Did he or did he not ask for a trade? He's adamant that he's never suggested or insisted on a trade out of Carlton and he won't be doing so. He will be staying at the football club for the foreseeable future,' Cleary said.
AFL great Nick Riewoldt asked how did the whispers start and why was the talk — 'doesn't like the Melbourne bubble and the attention. Gold Coast, Sydney and a potential move down the coast to Geelong' — so detailed.
Cleary said: 'It starts with little chatters, maybe more informal — 'it's been a tough year, wouldn't mind seeing what else is out there,' and then things snowball from there.
'Players have been taking about this for a couple of weeks, little jokes on the field here at the Collingwood-Carlton game that the Daicos boys might have been in Charlie's ear and having fun with it.
'Things snowballed a little bit. We have to take Charlie Curnow on his word, he's never suggested a trade and won't be doing so.
'There's no world (Carlton) lose De Koning and Curnow in the same trade period. You trade Curnow, you've got to go and find another one — and there's not one out there.'
Carlton will miss the finals for the first time since 2022, sitting 12th with a 7-12 record.
The slide down the ladder has cast doubt over Voss' future as coach, and comes in a year when long-suffering Blues fans had dared to dream of the club ending a 30-year premiership drought.
Curnow said he appreciated the frustration Carlton supporters are feeling, but urged them to stay the course.
'It's a hard one to cop for them, I know,' Curnow said.
'Just grow with us, have fun with us. We're trying hard out there.
'We do really want to have a crack for them. Just stick with us and something good will happen.'
Curnow has kicked 32 goals in 18 games this year, failing to reclaim his best form after undergoing knee and ankle surgeries during the pre-season.
'That probably lingered around at the start of the season for me,' he said.
'I tried to find my feet, but I feel like as a team we haven't really found our feet also. That's been obvious.'
Curnow had a brief moment of enjoyment after the Hawthorn loss, when retiring stalwart Sam Docherty and 200-game defender Jacob Weitering were chaired off the MCG.
Carlton captain Patrick Cripps joined Hawks assistant coach and former Blues teammate Kade Simpson in hoisting Docherty onto their shoulders.
'It's nice to be able to enjoy something like tonight,' Curnow said.
'It was a pretty awesome moment with Kade Simpson coming off at the boundary. It was pretty good to watch.'
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