![Still smiling: Blues head coach Brendan Bolton on Friday.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170728213557im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/x/k/s/1/1/image.related.landscape.460x307.gxkg1i.png/1501215766421.jpg)
Blues have Rising Stars but are they on the improve?
It's been a season where there were predictions Carlton could even slip from their 14th placing of 2016, for it was felt the need to blood more emerging talent could see a step back with a view to the long term.