IT WILL not be easy for errant Blues Jeff Garlett and Mitch Robinson to convince their teammates they can live up to the cultural standards now demanded at Carlton, coach Mick Malthouse says.

Garlett and Robinson were innocent parties in a city street brawl earlier this month at 5am on a Sunday morning, with the pair later compounding their disciplinary lapses by lying about Robinson's involvement in the incident.

Robinson was fined $5000 by the Blues and was ruled out for the rest of the season with a fractured eye socket suffered in the brawl.

Garlett was fined $2500 and was ruled out of senior selection the round after the incident. The small forward has been unable to earn a recall to the senior team since.

Both players are set to come out of contract at the end of this season, further clouding their futures at the club.

Malthouse told reporters on Wednesday morning that his players were a forgiving bunch, but they would demand that Garlett and Robinson live up to the stricter set of on and off-field standards now expected at Visy Park.

"Clearly they've mucked up in that culture-come-discipline area," Malthouse said.

"They can't just say, 'Oh look, we're sorry' and no action is taken.

"I would say that those two young blokes feel that there's a dye been set and they've got to now join in with what the rest of the players are doing.

"It's not going to be easy, it's not an easy task to be out there and then to have to come back in.

"The players are very forgiving, but I don't think they're going to lower their standard. They want those two young men to actually come into that standard and rise with it, not be outside it."

Preview: Port Adelaide v Carlton

Malthouse said Garlett, who last played in the Blues' senior team in round 12, was "certainly in the mix" for a recall for this Friday night's clash against Port Adelaide.

He also foreshadowed that the Blues were set to unveil another debutant this Friday night but declined to name that player, saying the youngster had not yet been told himself.

Malthouse said he suspected Dale Thomas (ankle and knee) would not play against the Power, but Troy Menzel (AC joint) was still a chance.
 
The Blues coach said Carlton's vastly improved form in the second half of 2014 was largely due to the growth of its leadership team and the growing refusal of his playing group to accept mediocrity.
 
And it was those raised standards, Malthouse said, that augured well for the Blues' 2015 prospects.
 
"When I reflect back to the start of the season, we have improved in areas that are massively important for us to go forward," Malthouse said.
 
"One is in leadership, I think Marc (Murphy) and his team have just developed on a weekly basis. I've seen it happen, it's so tangible and in particular (in) the last five or six weeks.
 
"I think there's a realisation that the responsibility does rest with players on the ground and off the ground.
 
"There has been a want from the word go, (but) there is non-acceptance now of mediocrity both in performance and in attitude and in culture.
 
"I think the realisation is now that there are a lot of players who understand and are prepared to drive it."
 
Malthouse spoke to media after appearing as a guest speaker at the YMCA's Bridge Project breakfast.
 
The three-time premiership coach has been an ambassador since 2005 for the Bridge Project, which helps at-risk youths turn their lives around by providing training, support and employment opportunities.