END-OF-SEASON REVIEW

Final ladder position: 15th

Club awards:
John Nicholls medal: Andrew Carrazzo
Second: Heath Scotland
Third: Jarrad Waite
Best first-year player: Bryce Gibbs
Best clubman: Jordan Bannister
Past players encouragement award: Paul Bower
Women of Carlton – Player ambassador of the year award: Brad Fisher

Leading goalkicker: Brendan Fevola (59 goals)

Leading possession getter: Heath Scotland (575 possessions)

Season in a nutshell:
A disappointing year for the Blues ended with several reasons for renewed optimism. Senior coach Denis Pagan was sacked midseason, captain Lance Whitnall battled injury and poor form and the side failed to win a game in the final 11 rounds. But the appointment of one of Carlton's favourite sons, Brett Ratten, as senior coach suggests a bright future, along with glimpses of a competitive brand of football. The Blues again have the No.1 draft pick for the third year running, and look set to win the services of megastar Chris Judd.

Defining moment:
Should the Blues’ revival begin in 2008, the side’s 117-point humiliation by the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba this year may well be regarded as a turning point. Pagan lost his job the following day, and the following week, with assistant coach Ratten at the reins, the Blues fell only 10 points short of St Kilda. While the losing streak continued, Ratten's popularity with the players and competitive coaching style secured his spot in the coach’s seat ahead of round 21.

What went right:
The season resembled a roller-coaster for Blues supporters, with the side snaring four wins from the first 11 games and entering the second half of the season having beaten the Bulldogs and Port Adelaide in consecutive weeks. Fevola was on fire early, eventual best and fairest winner Carrazzo was running hot, while emerging pair Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs had played every game. While that was it for the Blues as far as winning was concerned, there were some highlights to emerge from the disappointing end to the season. The kids got a run in the final six weeks and showed glimpses of things to come, while Ratten's reinvigorated brand of football encouraged supporters.

Above all else, the Blues' season has ended with them securing perhaps the biggest coup in recruiting history. Brownlow Medallist Chris Judd looks certain to head to Carlton after naming the Blues as his preferred destination. With the club holding plenty of trump cards in the form of high draft picks, it appears as though Judd will become a regular at MC Labour Park sooner rather than later.

The Blues have said the No.1 pick isn't negotiable and is saved for young talent Matthew Kreuzer, who will join the club's other two recent No.1 picks in what will be a blend of emerging stars (Kreuzer, Gibbs, Murphy, Jackson, O'hAilpin, Jamieson), steady middle-tier players (Judd, Carrazzo, Fevola, Waite, Fisher) and a handful of experienced heads (Stevens, Scotland, Whitnall).  

What went wrong:
Nick Stevens underwent spinal surgery after playing only three games, and was a huge loss for the Blues, leaving Murphy with a tough tag to shake each week. Stevens will return next year and will return a degree of steadiness to the side.

With Stevens out of the way, Lance Whitnall struggling for fitness and Anthony Koutoufides fighting injuries in the last year of his career, inexperience hurt the Blues, and they finished the year with just four wins on the board. Fans, players and officials alike will hope the short-term pain is a trade for long-term gain, with the focus very clearly on the future.

The coach says:
"We better have more than three or four wins. I expect more wins [next year] but I don't know how many more wins.

"After the [last] six weeks I'll know where every player is and who's on contract and know what the landscape is for us at the Carlton footy club.

"I wasn't worrying about win, lose or draw. I wanted to get kids in so we could have a look at them because for 2008 we need to know where our list was.

"I wasn't compromising in anything. I had a plan in place and I stuck to it.

"We know we've got a lot of hard work to do at Carlton to get back up the ladder. I did warn the players that when they come back, it's going to be flat out.

"It's not going to be turned overnight, no matter what draft picks you get. What we do see is we see Michael Jamison playing better, Paul Bower taking the next step, [Ryan] Jackson, Eddie Betts kicking five goals for the first time in his career, [Shaun] Hampson taking a great mark forward.

"What we've got at the club is talent, and to get games into them was a big plus for us." – Brett Ratten, senior coach, after the side's round 22 clash with Melbourne.

Coach's award:
Kade Simpson. Backed up his impressive 2006 with another solid year, and averaged nearly 20 possessions a game across all 22 rounds as well as standing up as a leader in the midfield when several players were sidelined with injury. He came fifth in the best and fairest and was part of a rotating captaincy roster when Whitnall was out injured. He was nominated for both the AFLPA's most valuable player and the most courageous award, with his tenacity around the ball and ability on the run catching the eye on more than one occasion.

Next big thing:
Take your pick – Bryce Gibbs or Marc Murphy. The talented twosome is about to be joined by another highly-rated youngster, and the bar for Kreuzer couldn't have been set higher by the impact these two players have made in the past two years. Gibbs played every game in his debut season, and while was often used in defence, got more of a run in the middle under Ratten and is set to be key figure for seasons to come. Murphy also managed 22 games after a debut season wrecked by injury and while he was subject to heavy tags with Stevens out of the side, the pressure and experience will only do him good.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.