Cripps was not due to come out of contract until the end of next season, but the 19-year-old and the Blues finalised a two-year contract extension this week.

The West Australian told AFL.com.au on Thursday that he was rapt to extend his stay at Visy Park.

"I like where the club is heading, we've got a great young group now and it looks good for next year," Cripps said.

"As a young midfielder, it's obviously massive for me to be able to learn off 'Juddy' (Chris Judd), 'Murph' (Marc Murphy) and 'Gibbsy' (Bryce Gibbs). They're obviously first-class players.

"As a kid I grew up barracking for the Eagles and Juddy was my idol, so to learn off him and the other guys is just amazing and definitely fast-tracks my development as a player.

"And with someone like Juddy, you don't know how long he's got left, so you try and pick his brain as much as you can and get the most out of him."

Cripps was Carlton's first pick in the 2013 NAB AFL Draft, at No.13 overall, and impressed on debut in round four this year against Melbourne, when he had 17 possessions (eight contested) and five tackles.

The 190cm on-baller played the following week against the Western Bulldogs, but was then dropped to the VFL, where three weeks later he broke his right fibula playing for the Northern Blues.

Cripps' injury obviously halted his bid for a senior recall, but it also hampered his efforts to build his endurance to AFL standards.

"It was probably the worst time of the year to get injured, the middle of the season, because I think I missed about nine weeks and you lose your fitness base. 

"When I came back I was playing catch up for the rest of the year. It was extremely frustrating." Cripps said.

Cripps made it back into the Blues' team for the final round of the home and away season, starting in the substitute's vest in the thrilling draw against Essendon.

He said playing three AFL games in his debut season would stand him in good stead for 2015, when he suspected his nerves would not be so bad and his belief would be stronger.

As a junior, Cripps was a prolific clearance winner. In 2013, he averaged six clearances a game for Western Australia in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships to win All Australian selection.

The Blues have high hopes that the former East Fremantle player will develop into the prototypical modern midfielder.

Cripps said it had been a big step up to play against big-bodied AFL players, but was confident he belonged at the elite level.

"I pride my game on the contested side and clearances, and I've just got to continue to get stronger," Cripps said.

 

"It's definitely a bit harder (in the AFL), but one thing Juddy did say when I first got drafted is whatever your strengths are when you're an 18-year-old, they'll be your strengths in the AFL down the track as well."

Cripps will enter next season with a new jumper number, having swapped the No. 16 he wore in 2014 for the No.9 made famous by three-time 1980s premiership player Ken Hunter and worn with distinction by Adrian Hickmott from 1996-2003.

Fully recovered from his broken leg, Cripps started pre-season training on day one and will focus this summer on improving his endurance and continuing to learn Carlton's team structures.

"At the end of the season I sat down with all of the coaches to discuss where they think I'm at and what they want from me for next year," Cripps said. 

"What they said was encouraging: I've just got to keep working on my fitness, get up that base up, stay injury-free and be ready to go round one. 

"And that's what I'll be striving to do."