Carlton are right in the premiership mix this year and could be one list piece away from going that extra step or two in the coming years.
Come the trade and free agency period, the Victorian powerhouse may look toward sharpening its spear and add medium or smaller-framed forwards who can support their threatening Coleman Medal-winning combination of Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay.
The Blues are also keen to add to their draft hand this year instead of moving on picks given their ties to father-son duo Lucas and Ben Camporeale, meaning free agents and cheaper trade deals will be preferred.
With a handful of suitable targets still without deals for next season, we've named five potential targets for Carlton to consider this off-season.
OTHER TRADE TARGETS: ADELAIDE, BRISBANE, COLLINGWOOD
Having previously been delisted by the Dockers, Banfield is eligible for free agency now that he's coming off-contract.
The prior list manoeuvre from Fremantle also means Banfield falls under the unrestricted band of free agency and would come at no cost to the Blues if a move was to arise.
The 26-year-old's value has risen over the course of the season as he enjoys a career-best campaign, having booted 14 goals and assisted a further six from his dozen appearances so far this year.
Standing at 190cm, the Western Australian would slot into a third tall forward role under Michael Voss, but would be needing to move away from his home state to join the Blues in the off-season.
A move for the Cats forward would be an aggressive one from the Blues, but given their need for more ground-level threats in the front half and the fact Stengle is an unrestricted free agent, it's a move worth considering.
With suggestions Carlton's high-end players are open to shifting their contracts around to accommodate the club's list planning, they could potentially find space in their salary cap to secure Stengle.
It'd require some wiggle room, but the benefit of not having to cough up draft capital for Stengle could be worth the inflated price stage that would come with the All-Australian forward compared to other targets.
Stengle looks more likely to remain at Kardinia Park, but it's worth asking the question given he's still unsigned in the second half of the season.
Another free agent who would appeal to the Blues given their list needs and desire to increase their draft hand, not minimise it.
Ainsworth looks to be having another consistently strong year under new coach Damien Hardwick, going at almost a goal per game from his 15.62 disposals and 4.77 marks from his 13 appearances so far in 2024.
Much like Stengle, Ainsworth suits the type of player Carlton could chase this off-season and would come at no cost other than in the form of his salary - pending the Suns don't match a rival's bid for the restricted free agent.
He's likely to fall in a similar or lower range to Stengle as far as salary, meaning the Blues might need to get a little creative in how they manage their long-term contracts.
The 22-year-old has found opportunities hard to come by in recent time given the rise of Irishman Callum Brown, who has slotted into the leading medium-sized forward role under coach Adam Kingsley.
It hasn't stopped Stone from continuing to press his case in the VFL, with the Oakleigh Chargers product booting 16 goals from his seven appearances - including at least one major in each game.
Potentially on the hunt for a third tall target to work alongside Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay given the potential absence of Tom De Koning in attack as he steps into a full-time ruck role, Stone could be the one for the Blues and might contend with Jack Silvagni for the role as he eventually returns from a season on the sidelines.
Stone's value is hard to gauge however, with the former Pick 15 selection playing just the 11 games in three-and-a-half years with the Giants but still being a highly-valued asset who's off-contract.
Another Victorian and former first-round pick residing in New South Wales, Konstanty is yet to break into Sydney's senior side in his short time with the Swans.
The Gippsland Power product was taken with Pick 20 in the 2022 National Draft and has been viewed as the potential long-term successor for fellow Swans small forward Tom Papley.
Given the Blues' prior interest in wanting to lure Papley to Princes Park, could Carlton consider a move for Konstanty some years later?
The issue with a move for the young Swan would be the need for Carlton to hand over draft capital or personnel in any deal, with the Blues wanting to gather picks this year while Sydney would be asking for a decent return given Konstanty's status as a recent top 20 selection.