AFL journalist and radio presenter Sam McClure boldly claimed that Carlton “must be a premiership favourite” and that anyone who disagrees “isn’t following the game properly”.The Blues lost by 16 points to Brisbane in the preliminary final last September after finishing fifth on the ladder and narrowly beating Sydney and Melbourne in the final.After going 4-1-8 in last year’s round of 13 and winning nine straight games to reach the final, hype is growing around a club long considered a sleeping giant due to their underachievement this century. .”Carlton has got to be a premiership favourite. And if anyone tries to tell you on the street they shouldn’t be, they’re not following the game properly,” McClure said on his 3AW radio show.The Blues are behind 2023 premiership Collingwood, 2023 runners-up Brisbane and Melbourne, who have finished in the top four in three consecutive years, and level with GWS, who narrowly beat Collingwood in the preliminary final.They didn’t make big moves in the offseason; Their most notable piece was former first-round pick Elijah Hollands, who was included in one of the cheapest deals possible, as Carlton had to consider a future third-round pick against a future fourth-round pick.McClure continued, “They want for nothing, they have a great roster, two of the best forwards of all time in the last 20 years and a star-studded midfield.”The Blues finished ninth in the AFL in scoring last year and kicked more than 11 goals just once in the last seven games of the season.Despite kicking 78 goals to win the Coleman Medal, Charlie Curnow added just three in three finals, while their other keeper Harry McKay kicked 29 goals in 21 games – 43rd in the AFL. His teammate Matt Owies scored 27 goals in 18 games.To likely criticism from Collingwood fans, he replied: “You don’t have a key forward”.For the Magpies, Brody Mihocek kicked 47 goals in 2023 (tied for 12th in the AFL), while Jamie Elliott was also in the top 20, adding 39 goals.McClure concluded: “The Carlton Football Club can’t do better. than last year, they have to do twice as well.”If they don’t win the premiership this year, something has gone wrong.”McClure, it must be noted, is a Carlton fan..