Carlton will enter season 2015 with a greater outlook on what the near future holds after seeing some encouraging signs throughout the year. There were still some disappointing moments, but 13th position on the ladder is probably an accurate reflection of where the club sits. The Blues' second half of the year (the round 22, 103-point thumping from Port Adelaide aside) was much improved, with some close losses to some top quality teams. 

Malthouse was criticised for the mixed messages he delivered throughout the season. One week he said the Blues were premiership contenders, the next he said his side was far from being a finals side. His "past the rubicon" comment was generally met with bewilderment. The way he treated particular journalists at press conferences was also called into question.

- Key position stocks bolstered: The emergence of Sam Rowe in defence and Levi Casboult up forward covered some considerable holes in the Blues' tall stocks. 

- Troy Menzel's rise: The young forward took his game to a new level in 2014, playing 19 games and kicking 26 goals. Menzel has all the makings of being an elite small-marking forward in the competition for years to come.

- Challenging top teams: The Blues made a pretty good fist of their match ups with top four teams, including Geelong and Hawthorn. Carlton pushed the Cats to within five and six points in their two meetings this season.

- Pressure on the ball-carrier: The Blues were ranked as the second worst team in the competition for tackles in 2014 with just 61.5 per game. Premiership favourite the Sydney Swans averaged 73.6 tackles per game.

- The ruck position: Robert Warnock and Cameron Wood were the two players charged with carrying the ruck responsibility. The pair did some good things, but Matthew Kreuzer's absence really hurt Carlton's chances of winning the ball from stoppages on a consistent basis.

   

Gibbs had his best season at AFL level in 2014, averaging career-highs in disposals (24.8), clearances (5.7) and contested possessions (10.7). Fresh from signing a new five-year deal to stay at the club, Gibbs was a genuine game-turner. His best afield performance in a narrow loss to Geelong in round 12 highlighted the elite status he now belongs to in the competition.

Rowe excelled in his second season at AFL level, taking the responsibility of holding down the full-back position. He was often matched up against the opposition's most dangerous marking forward, holding his own in key one-on-one battles. The Blues showed their faith in the tall defender, signing him to a two-year contract extension throughout the year.

The Irishman took his chance when granted his debut in round 20, playing the final four games of the season. Sheehan showed glimpses of what he may be capable of in the future, demonstrating his proficient kicking ability.

The Blues duo are together in this list for all the wrong reasons. Garlett and Robinson were important players for Carlton last season, but end this year with uncertain futures. A violent incident outside a nightclub in the early hours led to lies, cover-ups and embarrassing confessions, and certainly didn't win the pair any favours, while they each spent time out of the side for form and injury reasons.

Best win: 23-point win over North Melbourne, round 18, Etihad Stadium. 

Carlton was not given much hope of taking down top-four aspirant North Melbourne, but Jarrad Waite's inspired best afield four-goal performance silenced the doubters and gave the Blues a key win in the context of their season. Carlton made North look second rate as it hammered home six majors to 2.4 in the final term to close out the match.

Malthouse was left embarrassed by the club's performance in its 81-point thrashing at the hands of Essendon in round three. The loss capped three-successive defeats to start the season, the second straight year that had happened under Malthouse's watch. The club's 103-point loss to Port Adelaide in round 22 was also unacceptable.

The Blues showed they could toil and scrap their way to victory, but in close losses to top-four sides Geelong and Hawthorn in rounds 12 and 13, a lack of class was noticeable. Bryce Gibbs delivers that particular quality in bucketloads, but he needs some help. Marc Murphy will be better next year, although Carlton is expected to target some classy users of the ball in the upcoming player exchange period.

Retirements: Heath Scotland, Nick Duigan

Duigan retired before the season began, while Scotland decided to hang the boots up after 268 games for Collingwood and the Blues.

Delistings: Tom Temay, Andrew McInnes, Jaryd Cachia, Luke Reynolds, Josh Bootsma

The quartet never really had a chance to prove themselves at AFL level. Cachia managed 14 games for the Blues in 2013, while McInnes played 17 matches in three seasons on the club's list. 

Bootsma was delisted in June for 'misuse of social media' and 'a series of disciplinary issues' after posting inappropriate pictures of himself which were reported to the club by a supporter. 

Jarrad Waite has a big decision to make – stay loyal and remain at the Blues or join North Melbourne, a side on the rise, as an unrestricted free agent. Waite's stocks have risen considerably on the back of an impressive end to the year. Levi Casboult's contract impasse is also a situation the Blues will have to manage in the coming weeks.

The Blues need to bring in more talent across the board. It's as simple as that. Carlton made a point of addressing its list deficiencies in last year's draft, but will again look to bolster its list with young up and comers. The Blues need to look at bringing in a couple of key defenders and key forwards to better round out the side, while a bunch of talented midfielders would also be a nice addition.

Twitter: @AFL_BenGuthrie