CARLTON deputy-vice captain Michael Jamison has nominated Sam Docherty, Patrick Cripps, Troy Menzel and Dylan Buckley as the players most likely to step up for the Blues next season.
The quartet make up the changing face of Carlton's list, with a number of familiar faces – namely Mitch Robinson, Jarrad Waite and Jeff Garlett – departing the club in the past few months.
Docherty, Cripps, Menzel and Buckley all showed positive signs in 2014 and it is only natural the emerging talents contribute more next season.
That's certainly how Jamison sees things.
"Importantly the development of guys like Docherty, Cripps, Menzel and Buckley has been the most impressive thing for me this pre-season," Jamison said on Tuesday.
"The strides they've taken in their leadership has been terrific and it's certainly helped the guys like myself and Bryce (Gibbs) in the leadership group tremendously."
The loss of Waite (to North Melbourne) and Garlett (Melbourne), in particular, is bound to have a major impact on Carlton's scoring power in 2015.
Waite led the Blues with 29 goals last season, while Garlett had kicked at least 29 goals in each of the four years before a disappointing 2014 campaign.
Andrew Walker may be the man to help boost Carlton's scoring options and could push forward if needed, although Jamison said the Blues were looking for a more even spread of goalkickers.
"It really helps with the guys we've got into the club like (delisted free agent) Matt Dick from Sydney who can go through the backline and possibly release Walks," Jamison said.
"But we've also got Liam Jones from the Bulldogs to help even that spread.
"We're not after someone to kick 60 or 70 goals. If we can get three or four guys kicking 40 (goals), we'll be a much better side because of that."
Gibbs, the club's reigning best and fairest winner, said the Blues' preparations are well ahead of where they were this time last season.
In terms of his own performance, Gibbs said he owes a lot of credit to the way midfield coach Dean Laidley helped him discover that consistency which helped elevate him to the elite level last season.
However, Gibbs knows full well he will cop more attention from opposition sides next season.
"It was definitely one of my most consistent years," Gibbs said.
"I've worked closely with him (Laidley) and he's taught me a few things and I have to give him some credit for teaching me how to maintain consistency."
Jamison and Gibbs were on hand at Visy Park on Tuesday to help launch Carlton's Christmas Book Drive, with players to be involved in a literacy program with children from the Carlton Primary School next year.
