AS THE dust settles on the season for clubs out of the premiership race, the review process begins in earnest - and that includes from our AFL.com.au experts, too. 

We look at what worked, what didn't, season highlights, and what your club needs to do ahead of next season.

Check it out.

Where they finished

14th (four wins, seven losses, 50 per cent)

What worked

While a 14th-place finish was never the goal for Mathew Buck and his troops, there were plenty of positives to come out of 2024 for the Blues. One of those was the unearthing of Irishwoman Dayna Finn, who thrived on the wing this year after coming onto the scene last year. Finn's high workrate and pace were big assets for the Blues' midfield, which was also bolstered by the form of midfielder Maddy Guerin. Guerin has well and truly put her injury issues behind her, compiling a career-best season where she averaged 18.5 disposals, 7.2 tackles and 4.6 clearances a game. Elsewhere, Carlton's midfield trio of Abbie McKay, Mimi Hill and Keeley Sherar also had strong seasons. McKay is a beast at the contest, Sherar is an absolute ball-magnet, and Hill continues to consistently perform. The Blues also had veteran defender Harriet Cordner receive an All-Australian squad nod, after averaging 7.8 intercepts per match.

What didn't work

Carlton struggled to stem the bleeding in several matches this year, which contributed to their lowly percentage, the second worst in the competition. The Blues were blown out of the water by Hawthorn, Richmond, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Brisbane, Essendon and the Western Bulldogs. Seven losses by five or more goals in an 11-game season just doesn't cut it for a finals aspirant. The Blues also struggled in the mid-week footy period, losing all four of their matches within 16 days. Carlton's forward line failed to fire, booting just 35 goals for the year. If the Blues are to continue their upwards trajectory, then finding a way to remain competitive for longer and getting closer to the top sides is a major priority for Buck and his coaching staff.

Season highlight

The Blues secured three thrilling victories over the course of 2024, which certainly rose the heart rate of fans. In week two, Guerin was the hero after a late snap against Gold Coast, while Sherar came up clutch in their week seven fixture on the road against Fremantle. It was Finn who stepped up against Collingwood in week nine, executing a superb left-foot snap under pressure to win the Blues the game. Blues fans have certainly had bang for their buck at those matches. Former Pie Tarni Brown proved she is a player for the future, while Meg Robertson and Lily Goss also showed some promising signs. 

Targets in the player movement period/draft

The first area the Blues need to target over the off-season is finding a gun forward. Admittedly star forwards don't grow on trees, but it's hard to see how their current mix will drive them forward. Celine Moody was recruited over the off-season to try and bolster their tall stocks but didn't set the world on fire, while sister Breann kicked just five goals splitting her time between the ruck and forward line. Youngster Mia Austin also booted five for the year as she continues to find her feet at AFLW level. As reported by AFL.com.au, the Blues have interest in Adelaide winger Maddi Newman and Sydney defender Ella Heads, who would both add extra class to the Blues' ball movement. From a draft perspective, the Blues have access to father-daughter jet Sophie McKay, who has starred for the Sandringham Dragons in recent times. McKay, the sister of Abbie and daughter of Andrew, is quick, clean around the contest and has a knack of finding ways to hit the scoreboard.