Career
Carlson played his junior football at Surfers Paradise and then participated in three QAFL premierships with Southport, in 1985, 1986 and 1987. In the last of those years he also made his first VFL appearances for Brisbane in their inaugural league season, playing every game from round 11. The following year he represented Queensland in the 1988 Adelaide Bicentennial Carnival.
Legal injuries restricted his progress and he could only add a further 14 games over the next three seasons.
A wingman, he went to West Adelaide in 1991 and was named in the "The Advertiser" Team of the Year".