Carlton captain Marc Murphy has lent his support to aging superstar Chris Judd, urging the dual Brownlow medallist to kick on into 2015.
The 5-10 Blues stumbled out to a four-match losing streak to start the season without Judd and have won just one of their past four with the 30-year-old back in the team after recovering from his latest hamstring setback.
“He’ll have to weigh that up [whether to play on] at the end of the year but if his body is fine, no doubt I reckon he’ll go on at the end of the year,” Murphy said Tuesday.
“He’s an important player for us and a leader around the club so if his body is right I’ll be pushing for him to play on,” Murphy said. “He’s great to have out there.”
Removing the three-minute, three-disposal failed comeback attempt in Round 5, Judd has averaged 23.5 disposals, three marks and 3.5 tackles since returning against the Hawks in mid-June, numbers not far off his premiership season with West Coast in 2006.
Coach Mick Malthouse was noncommittal when asked about Judd’s future late last month, saying he expected the six-time All-Australian to make a decision on his future around the time of his 31st birthday in September while watching finals football from home.
“I’m not going to ask Chris, that’s a decision he has to make,” Malthouse said last month.
“It depends on what he wants out of his football, we know he’ll give us this sort of effort every week.
“As it gets closer to the end of the year, he may knock on my door and tell me what he wants to do. I’m not going to be pressuring him for an answer one way or another.
“So we’ll wait and see.”
The lacklustre Blues broke a five-game skid last weekend against a hapless St Kilda and face the league-leading Sydney Swans at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.
Photo: Getty Images
