Carlton will be without All-Australian half-back Sam Docherty for a second consecutive season, but they might have found a solution to its problem before the new co-captain went down.

Six weeks before Brendon Bolton’s side secured underage sensation Sam Walsh with the first pick in November’s National Draft, they lured opportunity starved Swan Nic Newman to Princes Park during the trade period.

After taking two years to breakthrough for a debut under John Longmire, Newman played 20 games in an eye-catching 2017, but only managed 11 appearances last season.

Nic Newman is distraught after Alex Johnson did his knee late last season. Source: Supplied

Round 18

While veteran Dale Thomas helped fill the void in 2018, Sydney premiership defender Alex Johnson, who has joined Carlton’s VFL affiliate the Northern Blues in a playing and coaching capacity, believes his close mate is well placed to take Docherty’s spot down back this year.

“The opportunities he will get at Carlton will probably be better than what he would have got at Sydney,” Johnson told SEN this week.

“I was rapt for him. It is what he wanted; he wanted a fresh start.

“With Docherty going down, which was absolutely shattering for him, it opens the door for Nic and hopefully he can grab it with two hands and have a really good 2019.”

Having endured his own nightmare run with knee injuries, which finally brought his time in Sydney to an end last year following his sixth knee reconstruction, Johnson is better equipped than almost anyone to understand what Docherty is going through.

“I think he [Docherty] was given the all clear to play late last year and was absolutely flying on the track,” he said.

“Nearly appointed captain to go down with an ACL injury for the second time is absolutely horrendous; I really do feel for him.”

Sam Docherty and Patrick Cripps ahead of a press conference at the start of December. Source: Getty Images

With Sydney falling at the first hurdle last September, a year after being smashed by Geelong in a semi-final, the Swans appear to be on the decline.

But with the likes of Lance Franklin, Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Jarrad McVeigh still running around in red and white, Johnson doesn’t see his old side dipping any further.

“It has been really well documented that there was a lot of turnover last year. I think 10 or 11 guys were forced out effectively or shown the door,” he said.

“They still do have the nucleus for an amazing team, it is just about bridging the gap between those guys that are 28, 29, 30 plus and the Ollie Florents, Will Haywards, Tom McCartins coming through.

“I don’t think they will crash out. The systems in place at that club are too good to see them bottom out.”