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CARLTON will use the rest of the season to get a better assessment of its list and where some players sit, according to interim coach John Barker.
Barker has taken on the position after the Blues axed coach Mick Malthouse on Tuesday following a horror start to the season that sees the club positioned last on the ladder with one win after eight rounds.
Barker, who was an assistant under Ross Lyon at St Kilda and worked with Alastair Clarkson at Hawthorn before moving to Carlton, said there would be a focus on bringing some "core competitiveness" back to the languishing Blues.
But he added the next three months would also be used to get a clearer picture of the club's stocks.
"We're looking to have a real once-over of our list to see where we're at and where certain players are at, and we need to try some things and learn some things," Barker told the club's website.
"We're under no illusion of the hard work that needs to take place, and it's not about any individual that needs to work hard, it's about all of us working hard as a collective. We need to grow and drive our way through this."
Barker was an assistant throughout Malthouse's two-and-a-half year tenure leading the Blues, more recently becoming the backline coach after three seasons in charge of the club's attack.
He views his appointment as interim senior coach for the rest of 2015 as an opportunity, despite the difficult circumstances.
"It's not an ideal situation, but he first thing I'd like to do is acknowledge Mick Malthouse and his massive contribution to the game of footy as a whole but also to the Carlton Football Club," Barker said.
"He's had such a positive impact on so many environments and so many individuals, including myself.
"Having said that, I see it as a real opportunity, it's exciting, it's really challenging obviously, but I'm really keen to grab it with both hands. "
The Blues' rapid fall down the ladder has seen crowds drop off at Carlton games, including a lowly 16,676 attending the round seven loss to Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium.
They face another tough task on Friday night when they travel to meet the Sydney Swans at the SCG, but Barker urged the club's fans to stay supportive.
"Carlton supporters are really important to us and they need to stick with us. It's a really challenging time at the moment but we need to work through this together," Barker said.
