Joe Anderson: Still only 21 but hasn’t shown himself to be anything more than a depth player in four seasons at the club. Managed five games in 2010 and will probably get one more year to show greater improvement.

Dennis Armfield: Now a first-choice running defender, with his pace out of the backline one of the keys to the Blues’ game. Still working on his disposal by foot, but is steadily improving.

Mark Austin: The club had high hopes for the key defensive prospect, but the start to his season was sabotaged after he spent most of the summer dealing with groin issues. Got on the field for the Bullants in May, but hasn’t looked close to senior selection.

Eddie Betts: Had an excellent year after a rocky start off the field. Topped the club’s goalkicking with 42 in the regular season, reached the 100-game milestone and also played a strong mentoring role for Jeff Garlett and Chris Yarran.

Paul Bower: The coach’s preferred option at centre half-back was kept out by a quad injury for large stretches of the first half of the season and never appeared to be firing on all cylinders. Still managed some decent games in the back end of the year, but will be better for a good pre-season.

Steven Browne: A disappointing season for the small defender who managed just three so-so games in his third year at the club. Was expected to press for a regular senior berth, but Armfield’s progress has been a contributing factor in keeping him out.

Jaryd Cachia*: Has featured regularly in the Bullants’ seniors in his first season and looks a likely type. Rugged, inside mid who will definitely get another year on the rookie list or even elevation to the seniors.

Andrew Carrazzo: Replaced Joseph as the preferred tagger with his work rate well suited to the role. An underrated cog in the Blues’ midfield.

Levi Casboult*: The big lad caused quite a stir among the fan base when he clunked a few nice marks up forward in a pre-season intraclub match. He’s a long-term prospect, but has progressed nicely for the Bullants’ senior side.
 
Joe Dare*: Finished the year well with the Bullants, but certainly wasn’t the great catch some had hoped when he slid right out of the national draft and down to the Blues at pick 31 of the rookie draft. Has work to do.
 
Marcus Davies: Hard-at-it defender who broke into the senior side in round 19 after a string of good VFL performances. Showed it wasn’t a token debut by keeping his spot against the odds.

Josh Donaldson*: Project tall forward picked late in the rookie draft. Saw limited action in the VFL reserves side through injury. Probably worth another year just to see how he grows into his body.

David Ellard*: It looked like it might have been over for the WA terrier when he failed to play senior footy in his second rookie season, but he was given another crack and grabbed his chance late in the year. The tackling machine racked up 12 in the round 22 loss to Fremantle.

Brad Fisher: Needed a big season to stay on the list, but ruptured an ACL late in the pre-season. Underwent LARS surgery and was back with the Bullants in late May. Didn’t take long to get back amongst the goals, but was dropped after just one AFL game and did not return. Booted 10 goals the week after he was axed.

Jeffery Garlett*: Rewarded for an excellent season with a two-year contract and a NAB Rising Star nomination. Hit the scoreboard regularly, with his six-goal effort against the Bombers in round 19 a highlight.

Bryce Gibbs: Still the subject of much discussion among Blues fans. Played across half-back for much of the season and played well, but some are frustrated that he hasn’t been given the opportunity to realise his potential as an out-and-out midfielder. 

Shaun Grigg: Was made to work hard for his senior spot after a hamstring injury slowed him on the eve of the season. Finally earned a call-up in round 14 after a series of good performances at VFL level and didn’t look back.
 
Richard Hadley: After 24 games in three seasons at Visy Park, it wouldn’t surprise if the in-and-under specialist decided to look elsewhere. Starved of opportunity in 2010, the midfielder still has a bit to offer, but Brock McLean’s arrival could ultimately herald his departure.

Shaun Hampson: Was generally preferred ahead of Sam Jacobs due to his athleticism, but for a big guy who is supposed to cover a lot of ground, he doesn’t get nearly enough of the ball.

Lachlan Henderson: Struggled to get out of the shadow of Brendan Fevola early, but became more comfortable as the season wore on. Strong game against the Tigers in round 20 might have been the making of him. Looks a player of the future.
 
Ryan Houlihan: Was in excellent form playing as a defensive forward in the first half of the season before being slowed by a knee injury that eventually required surgery. Played his last game in round 15, but will be ready to go by the time the Blues hit the track for pre-season.
 
Sam Jacobs: Played 12 home-and-away games in his first season on the senior list, but despite an elimination final call-up, Shaun Hampson and Robbie Warnock were generally the preferred options. With Matthew Kreuzer to return in 2011, the Blues should test the market for their fourth ruckman who could well turn out to be some other club’s No.1.
 
Michael Jamison: Played all 22 matches in an up and down season. Has never been much of a ball winner, but 13 games of eight disposals or less isn’t what you want from a key member of your defence.

Chris Johnson: Attack on the ball remains a question mark. Managed just five games in his second year at the club and probably needed to do more than that to ensure a spot for 2011.

Aaron Joseph: Made his name as a tagger, but was developed more as a small defender in 2010. Didn’t really reach the heights of his breakout rookie season.

Chris Judd: Remains the most important player at the club. Targeted every week by opposition teams, but still manages to rack up the possessions. Still has to do way too much of the dirty work in close but McLean should eventually lighten his load there.

Rohan Kerr: Late draft pick who showed a reasonable eye for goal across half-forward at VFL level. Will get another crack at it next year.

Matthew Kreuzer: Continued his steady progress toward becoming one of the best big men in the competition before being struck down with an ACL in round 13. His rehab is on track, from all accounts.
 
Kane Lucas: One of the highlights of the Blues’ season. Lucas debuted in round three and didn’t look out of place. Gathered 25 possessions against the Crows in just his second game. Finished the year on a sour note with a hamstring tear, but looks to be yet another blue-chip ball carrier.

Brock McLean: Did little to justify the bold trade that brought him to Visy Park. To be fair, he struggled with injuries throughout his six games before knee surgery in late July eventually ended his season.

Marc Murphy: Another consistent year for the classy onballer. Continues to grow in stature and reached his 100-game milestone at the tender age of 23 in round 21.

Rhys O’Keeffe: Second season on the senior list was wrecked by injury. Will have to hope the Blues saw enough in eight VFL games in 2009 to persevere with him.

Setanta O'hAilpin: Looked to be one of the main beneficiaries of Fev’s departure early when he not only provided a contest for his ‘helpers’ but also hit the scoreboard. Form and appetite for the contest gradually trailed off and did not regain his place after being dropped after round 15.
 
Mitch Robinson: Made to earn his spot but finished the season strongly. Played a few good defensive forward roles. Drove Dustin Fletcher to distraction in round 19.

Jordan Russell: Strong first half of the season for the long-kicking defender, but he trailed off a bit later in the year with some sketchy performances.

Heath Scotland: The elder statesman faced a fight to keep his spot this year with a bunch of young whipper snappers pushing up, but he responded with one of the most consistent seasons of his career. Played all 22 home-and-away games and was often among his side’s highest possession winners. 

Kade Simpson: A key cog in the Blues’ midfield. Simpson performed at a high level in many of his 22 home-and-away games with successive 33-possession performances in round 17 and 18 among his highlights.

Bret Thornton: Future looks uncertain for the one-time backline stalwart. Found himself in and out of the senior side and couldn’t break back in late in the season despite excellent form in the VFL.

Caleb Tiller: Was a speculative pick as a bottom-ager at the 2008 draft and hasn’t really gone on with it this year. Failed to crack a regular spot in the Bullants’ firsts and his place on the list might be in danger.

Zac Tuohy*: The Blues’ latest Irish experiment showed some promise by becoming a regular in the Bullants’ senior side. Named in the best in the win over Gold Coast and looks worth persisting with.

Jarrad Waite: Looked a picture of frustration for the majority of the season as he struggled to find form and fitness in his return from a knee reconstruction. Was suspended and dropped before settling down late to play an important role inside forward 50.
 
Andrew Walker: Sent a scare through the camp when he looked to have done another shoulder against the Cats in round five. It wasn’t the case, but he fell out of favour late in the season when he was one of the three players dropped after Brett Ratten publicly questioned the hardness of his players in the loss to Collingwood.

Robert Warnock: The Blues would have been starting to have some serious buyer’s remorse when Warnock was dropped after starting the season with five largely ineffective games after injury ruined his 2009. The big lad was made to earn his round-17 recall and he made every post a winner.

Simon White*: Elevated rookie who made his debut in round four and showed some promise as a defender in six games. Sadly ended the season with both hips and a shoulder requiring surgery.
 
Simon Wiggins: The ‘Chief’ is a much-loved figure at Visy Park, but questions have to be asked about the decision to keep him on for another season. Through form and fitness he hasn’t featured at AFL level despite Ratten’s willingness to try a number of different options in attack.

Chris Yarran: Felt he let the club down with his rookie season but made significant strides forward in 2010. Didn’t kick a big bag, but as long as he’s providing defensive pressure inside 50 and bobbing up with two or three, the Blues will be happy.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.