Carlton father-son prospect Harry Dean said it would be “pretty special” to pull on the navy blue, as the 17-year-old continues to edge closer to officially joining the club his father helped to two premierships.
Dean, widely viewed as a top-10 pick in this year’s draft, is eligible to join Carlton through the father-son rule, following in the footsteps of his dad, Peter Dean, who played 248 games for the Blues.
Speaking to foxfooty.com.au at the AFL Draft Combine, Dean admitted the experience of training alongside Carlton players had already given him a taste of what life at Ikon Park could be like.
A family bond and a familiar home
“It was just unreal. It didn’t feel right as well being in the system,” Dean told foxfooty.com.au. “Every time I go in there, I just think: ‘This is the real deal, these blokes play on the TV and I support them.’ Hopefully I can play with them soon, yeah.”
The teenage defender, who turned heads for Vic Country this year with his composure and intercept work, said he grew up a Carlton supporter, albeit with a “soft spot for the Doggies”. He added that his father’s influence and early exposure to the club’s academy had shaped both his game and professionalism.
“With Dad being around so much and being in the program, I’ve been getting tips off him,” Dean said. “He had a pretty great career and helped make the father-son academy, so I was pretty lucky for that.”
With the Blues now well placed to match an early bid for Dean, the next generation of the Dean legacy at Carlton looks closer than ever.