Carlton's finals exit has thrown the Victorian club into an off-season that could see the Blues make a number of cut-throat list decisions on long-serving senior players.
The Blues' 2024 campaign was officially brought to a close on Saturday night in Brisbane, with a horrifically slow start to an elimination final setting seeing Michael Voss' men bow out of the flag race in September for the second time in as many years.
While the club's long-awaited return to the finals frame last year was the needed step in Voss' tenure at Princes Park, a subsequent series in 2024 ended without a win as the Blues entered their must-win meeting with the Lions undermanned and, perhaps, underdone.
At their best, the Blues' flag prospects were as worthy as most rivals who are still in the hunt for this year's premiership, but the extended absences of key players throughout the year damaged any chance of a second chance come September.
While six returning players were added to Voss' side to face Brisbane, the Blues remained without Coleman Medal winner Charlie Curnow and several other best 22 players.
Among the missing crop was small forward Matt Owies, who served his one-game suspension for a dangerous tackle this week, while Matt Cottrell, Jordan Boyd and Lachie Fogarty were also unavailable through injury.
Fringe trio Jack Martin, Caleb Marchbank and David Cuningham haven't been seen much this season due to ongoing injury concerns, a tale all too familiar for all three during their time in navy blue.
They combined for 11 games in 2024, with Martin's most recent appearance seeing him play just five per cent game time before being subbed out with another hamstring concern.
The one highly-touted Suns youngster faced a delayed start to the season with soft-tissue concerns and would be back in Carlton's casualty ward a week after his return to the AFL in May.
Martin wouldn't be seen again at senior level until Round 21, his penultimate appearance of the year before a third setback ensued against Hawthorn the week after.
Marchbank has dealt with a myriad of ailments this year, as illness, concussion and a back issue added to the luckless defender's frustrating and seemingly everlasting battle with injury.
Cuningham has been in a parallel position to Marchbank, having also returned from a lengthy ACL recovery before being struck down with multiple shoulder and calf complaints to play five games in 2024 - two more than Marchbank managed.
All three Blues players are unsigned for next year, with the time on their respective Carlton tenures potentially coming to an end as the club looks to settle its list for 2025 and beyond.
Martin is said to be inching closer to a move to Fremantle this off-season and could make his way back to Western Australia via delisted free agency, while Marcbank and Cuningham may find it hard to attract suitors on the open market.
Owies is another Carlton player still yet to cement his future at Princes Park and shouldn't be short of external interest, having kicked the third most goals under Voss this year - with his tally of 33 majors falling behind Harry McKay and Curnow only.
Young midfield-forward Jack Carroll looks to be one the Blues would be keen to retain, but the lure of greater opportunities back in his home state of WA could be enough to see him seek a trade to Perth, with West Coast the more likely landing spot.
Uncapped stalls Domanic Akuei and Alex Mirkov are without contracts for next season and could be overlooked in Carlton's list planning, however the latter holds the third-string ruck spot for the Blues behind Marc Pittonet and Tom De Koning.
Key defender Sam Durdin is another key position player that faces an uncertain future, having played two games in three seasons for the Blues as injury and form have limited his prospects in Voss' pecking order.
The Blues are lacking tall defensive options, but the anticipated move for GWS free agent Nick Haynes could push Durdin to the outer come next month's signing window.
First-year rookie Matt Carroll spent his entire first season at Carlton on the sidelines in rehabilitation with a troublesome groin injury and might not fetch an extension.
Mid-Season Draft addition Cooper Lord showed more than enough at AFL and VFL level in short time to garner an extension, with the Sandringham Dragons product looking to be an astute acquisition for the club.
The next wave of incoming recruits has become a clear enough picture to paint, with Carlton to secure father-son draft pairing Ben and Lucas Camporeale at November's intake.
Irishman Matt Duffy is expected to land on the Blues' list as a category B rookie, having planned to do so earlier this year before suffering an ACL injury in the pre-season. Duffy joined Rob Monahan in making the international venture and landing at the Blues, with the latter playing 18 VFL games in 2024 as a defensive flank option.
The aforementioned Haynes has been widely tipped to make a straightforward move to the Blues as an unrestricted free agent, costing Carlton no draft capital.
The Blues secured Pick 11 for this year's AFL Draft with their loss to the Lions, with selections 31, 62, 65 and 68 set to help their efforts to match bids for the Camporeale twins.
That first-round selection has the Blues well-placed to add more emerging talent to their list, with outside run or key position prospects potentially in the sights of list manager Nick Austin.
The likes of Jobe Shanahan, Whitlock brothers Jack and Matt and Harry Armstrong can add height, while Bendigo's Tobie Travaglia is right in the slot for Pick 11 and could be a fitting addition after featuring in two VFL games for the Blues last month.
Gippsland's Xavier Lindsay and Sandringham's Harry Oliver could also be utilised as attacking options out of defence, an area potentially of focus for the Blues.
Carlton have been tied to Port Adelaide star Dan Houston, however any move for the contracted All-Australian would likey require multiple first-round picks, with the Blues likely reluctant to part with Pick 11.
