CARLTON has confirmed that it has appointed Hawthorn assistant Brendon Bolton as its new senior coach. 

Bolton, 36, was recommended to the Blues' board by its coaching selection sub-committee on Monday.

The appointment then needed to be ratified by the Carlton board, which met at Ikon Park at 4pm on Monday.

It is not clear if Bolton will remain with the Hawks until the end of the season or if he will take up his new position immediately, but Carlton will hold a media conference on Tuesday at 3.30pm.

Under guidelines introduced by the AFL Coaches Association ahead of this season, the Hawks would have the right to retain their valued assistant.

Bolton, who has long been the favourite to win the Carlton position, narrowly beat interim Blues coach John Barker and Collingwood assistant Scott Burns.

Blues CEO Steven Trigg said in a statement, "I'm delighted to welcome Brendon to our club and to our team. It is our vision that Brendon will be a long-term coach of our football club as we build toward sustained success. 

"He will be afforded the time and the resources to take Carlton back to where we all want it to be and we will support him every step of the way.

"What set Brendon apart was far more than just his resume and experience, which is impressive in itself. It was his proven ability to develop and educate that convinced our selection panel that he is the right person for Carlton. 

"He is a proven performer, having come from an elite environment where the ultimate success has been achieved.

"To our interim coach, John Barker, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude for what he has achieved since taking on the role. He has restored a competitive spirit to our team and always put the club first in everything he did.

"John has earned nothing but the highest level of respect from everyone at Carlton and the wider football community, showing he has the qualities and the drive to become an AFL senior coach. We will continue to support John however we can with his next steps."

As senior assistant under Alastair Clarkson, Bolton has been highly rated for his ability to create a learning environment at the Hawks and impressed when he filled in for an ill Clarkson in 2014.

He becomes the fifth assistant coach to leave under Clarkson to take up a senior position, and the fourth premiership assistant.

Damien Hardwick first left in 2009 to coach Richmond and has been followed by Leon Cameron (GWS), Adam Simpson (West Coast) and Luke Beveridge (Western Bulldogs).

Bolton, who is a former school teacher and has a bachelor of human movement, started his coaching career with North Hobart in 2003, winning a premiership in his first season.

He enjoyed a successful playing career in Tasmania, winning three premierships and representing the state's VFL team, the Devils. 

He was appointed Box Hill senior coach in 2009 and promoted to Hawthorn assistant coach in 2012.