2020 Trade & Free Agency Spotlight | Tim Taranto (GWS)
Written by Joseph Addamo
Throughout the 2020 off-season, Blue Abroad will be providing content to cover everything you need to know about the Carlton Football Club.
Looking to take the next step in 2021, the success of this off-season’s recruiting is critical. We will be looking at various opposition players on the open market that could add another dimension to the current crop of players.
This is the Blue Abroad Trade & Free Agency Player Spotlight for the GWS Giants’ #14 – Tim Taranto.
WHO IS TIM TARANTO?
Junior Club: Sandringham Dragons, U18 TAC Cup
AFL Selection: Pick 2, 2016 AFL National Draft by the GWS Giants
Age (@ Round 1, 2021): 23
Height: 187cm
Weight: 87kg
Position(s): Midfielder
Career Games: 74
Career Goals: 28
WHAT IS TIM TARANTO’S STRONGEST ATTRIBUTE?
Taking out the 2019 GWS Keven Sheedy Medal at only 21 years old in a Grand Final season, the hype and ongoing potential surrounding Tim Taranto is as real as it gets. He’s as influential as any other midfielder at the Giants, with his ability to find the football and pressure his opponent standouts of his game.
In his career to date among midfielders, Taranto rates as elite for pressure acts per game (21.7) and tackles inside 50 (0.9). He also ranks above average for disposals (22), metres gained (318.4), inside 50s (3.4), clearances (3.9), ground ball gets (6.8), tackles (5.4) and score involvements (5.3).
His contested work ranks Taranto in the same hard-nosed company as the Jack Viney’s and Clayton Oliver’s of the competition. An acquisition in the caliber of Taranto would give some much needed assistance to Patrick Cripps immediately.
WHERE WOULD TIM TARANTO FIT IN CARLTON’S STARTING 22?
Taranto is a walk-up start into Carlton’s best 22 each week. He would be Carlton’s number 2 mid behind Cripps, but only just, and with plenty of room for growth in his game still at such a young age. Being at the bottom end of the 23-27 age bracket the Blues need to fill on their list would enable Taranto to grow alongside the likes of Will Setterfield, Sam Petrevski-Seton and Sam Walsh to forge a bright future for the Football Club.
His 2019 Best & Fairest season at the Giants, prior to a shoulder injury, showed what his maximum output looks like. In Round 9 against the Blues he put together a career game in a 93-point drubbing of Carlton. Taranto gathered 38 disposals, 6 clearances, laid 4 tackles, took 12 marks and contributed forward of centre with 7 inside 50s, 11 score involvements and a goal.
Describing Taranto as an exciting proposition for Carlton this offseason would be a massive understatement.
WHAT IS TIM TARANTO’S CONTRACT STATUS?
In 2019, Taranto signed a contract extension that has him tied to the Giants until the end of 2022. In an interview with The Age from the time of re-signing, Taranto said the “go-home factor… wasn’t an issue for him”. From all reports, he is well settled as a now-Sydneysider.
As early as last week, however, Taranto was linked with a potential move back to Victoria, with St Kilda the front-runners to secure his services. This talk around Taranto is linked heavily to the salary cap pressures of the Giants, which has seen the likes of Jeremy Cameron, Jackson Hately and Xavier O’Halloran also touted to potentially seek moves out of the club.
Matt Bain, Taranto’s manager, has since tried to put an end to the rumours stating:
“There’s zero truth in it… he loves the club, he loves it up there. Tim Taranto is not leaving.” - Matt Bain
It seems Taranto will see out at least his current deal, but where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire. If there is even a possibility of Taranto leaving, it would be remiss of the Blues not to enquire about his services.
REALISTIC ACQUISITION RATING
2 / 10
