'Step up': Carlton star Jacob Weitering's defiant message after Charlie Curnow split

Carlton enters a new era in 2026. Charlie Curnow, Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni are gone, Sam Docherty has retired and the club has turned over almost every key off-field personnel piece, with the exception of coach Michael Voss.

The Blues turned the departing trio into five first round picks, while also bringing in Will Hayward and Ollie Florent from Sydney, Ben Ainsworth from Gold Coast, Liam Reidy from Fremantle and Campbell Chesser from West Coast.

Vice captain Jacob Weitering doesn't bear any ill will towards those who have moved on, but has planted his flag firmly at Princes Park.

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"Naturally when you're drafted with someone like Charlie and Harry McKay and Jack Silvagni, they become good mates and you play 10 years and over 150 games with them, so you certainly build a relationship," Weitering told 9News Melbourne.

"The ultimate goal was to have success together, but that hasn't happened.

"I wish Charlie all the best, I wish Jack and Tom all the best, but we've got to move forward as a football club.

"I'm still here. Crippa (Patrick Cripps) is still here and the leaders will do their absolute best to push this club forward to success.

"I'm looking forward to what's in store for us next year.

"It's certainly going to be a fresh start. A lot of new faces in the coaching staff and players.

"It's one of those things. We've been on this journey with Vossy and the team for now four years. We made a prelim, we made two finals series' and things didn't go our way this year obviously for many different reasons.

"I think the people that we've got in now are extremely motivated to do a job for this club and as long as we do the right things as players in the off-season and have a great pre-season, I think fans have a lot to look forward to in 2026.

"Bringing in those new faces, it's a fresh approach, a different way of doing things at certain parts of the club on and off field is going to really help us."

Weitering believes the likes of McKay and Marc Pittonet will "step up" with extra responsibility on their shoulders in 2026 and beyond.

"There's dynamics (changing) at both ends and probably at every position on the ground for us, but it gives an opportunity for guys to step up," Weitering said.

"Harry McKay had an interrupted season this year and I think he's ready to step up and return to Coleman medal form. Marc Pittonet will probably get full time ruck duties, with Liam Reidy coming in as well and Hudson O'Keeffe doing a job towards the back end (of 2025).

"And then down back we get Nic Newman back which is very nice. We've got a lot of young guys who were doing a job for us towards the back-end of the year, which is exciting.

"It gives me a lot of energy knowing we've got guys who can perform for us."

On the new recruits to the playing group, Weitering says he's heard good things.

"They, from all reports, are incredibly good people and that's probably something that's overlooked a little bit because we see the footballer first, but the six or seven guys we're bringing in, including the draftees, they're good people," he said.

"That's what this club needs and I'm sure their performance will show that next year."

The draftees include father-son defender Harry Dean, who is likely to be a top 10 pick, and academy midfielder Jack Ison, who has also been projected inside the top 30.