Carlton's new high-performance manager, Rob Inness, has taken a different approach to the club's pre-season program, honing in on a large emphasis on "speed sessions and sprinting".

The Blues are out to end a 30-year premiership drought, and have made the past two finals appearances but ultimately fell short, losing to Brisbane in the preliminary final and ensuing elimination final the following season.

Inness was previously employed by Sydney and took the vacancy made by the departed Andrew Russell, who'd been at Ikon Park since 2018.

The former Swans athletic performance coach came to Carlton reeking of experience and knowledge that has immediately been implemented into the club.

Nic Newman during Carlton training, November 21, 2022. (Photo by Jake Benoiton)

"Sometimes it can be a bit daunting heading into a new off-season program, and I reckon after a few weeks I was thinking about retirement," Carlton defender Nic Newman said onย SEN.

"[New Head of High-Performance Rob Inness] loves his speed sessions and his sprinting, it's definitely been tough. It's new ideas, new voices, a new philosophy on things. We all do such similar things at AFL clubs, and you can only train so much, so it's tweaking little things.

"We've brought in a bit more speed and power to our training; it's been really good. It took a little bit of an adjustment during the off-season, but the guys are adapting to the program, and some of the boys are looking pretty quick and powerful."

The Blues were faced with one of the worst injury crises in 2024.

Carlton used 37 players during the year and still scrapped into the finals but were largely without some of their key players.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 27: Charlie Curnow of the Blues looks dejected after a loss during the 2024 AFL Round 07 match between the Geelong Cats and the Carlton Blues at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 27, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

That included spearhead forward Charlie Curnow, while Adam Cerra's persistent hamstring troubles reared its ugly head, and Sam Docherty copped another anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear.

Jack Silvagni missed the entirety of the 2024 year with a knee injury as Jesse Motlop struggled to get his game going after overcoming toe and hamstring problems.

Inness' inclusion will ideally rectify the injury saga the club faced, given his impressive history.

At the Swans, they used the least amount of players (31) as they claimed the minor premiership and stormed to the grand final, only to be beaten by the Lions.

Albeit talent is imperative to a club's premiership chances, player availability weighs more in its significance.