CARLTON great Chris Judd believes Charlie Curnow is capable of tearing the finals apart but has stopped short of declaring his former club a genuine premiership threat.

The Blues have qualified for September action for the first time in a decade and are favourites against Sydney in Friday night's elimination final at the MCG.

Top-eight rivals Port Adelaide, Collingwood, St Kilda and Melbourne were all put to the sword during a recent nine-match winning streak that raised the hopes of long-suffering fans of bringing an end to Carlton's 28-year flag drought.

But Judd isn't quite ready to declare the Blues serious premiership contenders on the eve of their first finals campaign under Michael Voss.

"It's hard to say that when it's been so long since we've even played a final," Judd said.

"But certainly it will be great to see us playing finals footy and even better to see us win a final, then I guess the dreams get bigger from there.

"Friday's game against Sydney will be a huge challenge for the Blues but one they'll be able to get over the top of."

Curnow claimed a second straight Coleman Medal with a career-best 78 goals during the home-and-away season.

The athletic spearhead looms as an X-factor for the Blues during the finals.

"Charlie's right in the conversation for the best player in the league at the minute," Judd said.

"Hopefully that doesn't add any extra pressure to him but he's the type of player that you could see really being set up for a big September."

Judd was announced on Monday as the person to present the Norm Smith Medal to the player judged best afield in this year's Grand Final.

The honour comes almost two decades after he won the coveted award while playing for West Coast in the 2005 decider against Sydney.

"I'd describe it as sub-optimal," the 39-year-old laughed when asked about receiving the plaudit in a losing side.

"It's a strange one; it certainly doesn't feel like a celebration.

"Having said that, to play really poorly in a loss, there's a different level of pain that that brings because you've got the pain of losing but also that feeling of embarrassment that you've let people down.

"So maybe you avoid some of that (by being named best afield) but short of that there's really nothing to celebrate."

Judd was West Coast's premiership captain in 2006 before joining Carlton ahead of the 2008 season.

The 279-game champion won a Brownlow Medal at both clubs, as a third-year player in 2004 with the Eagles and in 2010 with the Blues.