Tommy Bugg has vowed to play with his trademark aggression for Carlton after the combative AFL utility was thrown a rookie lifeline by the Blues.
Bugg is at his third AFL club after stints with GWS and Melbourne, with the Demons cutting him after three tumultuous seasons that included a six-game suspension for punching Sydney's Callum Mills.
While his physical approach has landed him in hot water on occasion, it's also part of why Carlton added him with pick No.19 at the rookie draft.
"I met with Brendon (Bolton) and Stephen (Silvagni) and they just really instilled that they believe in me and they want me to be myself," Bugg told reporters on Monday.
"I'm just looking to bring in a good contest, just be really strong at the contest, and help out the younger players ... I'm a really contested, physical player and I'll keep doing that."
The 25-year-old trained with his fellow draftees on Monday and was presented with the No.40 guernsey, with No.1 pick Sam Walsh to wear 18, first-rounder Liam Stocker No.13 and former St Kilda defender Hugh Goddard No.45.
The Blues also handed their trade and free agency targets new numbers, with former Adelaide forward Mitch McGovern to wear 11, ex-Collingwood forward Alex Fasolo to don 32 and former Sydney defender Nic Newman No. 24.
Goddard was the first player selected at the rookie draft after an injury-hit four seasons with the Saints came to an end when he was delisted.
But the former first-round draft pick, who has played just 10 AFL games, is confident achilles and foot injuries that dogged him in 2017 are well behind him.
"I felt this year I was able to get some good continuity with my footy but it didn't go the way I wanted (with St Kilda)," Goddard said.
"I didn't really get a good run at it, so it was frustrating and I feel like I've got some really good footy left in me.
"But that's the way they went and I respected the decision ... I'm just really grateful for this opportunity."
