Carlton big man Lachie Henderson has backed a revamped Blues AFL forward line to deliver results this season.
The Blues sparkled in a seven-point victory over arch-rivals Collingwood in Bendigo on Sunday, with runners Chris Yarran and Chris Judd prominent.
But it's Carlton's attacking set-up that has Henderson excited about their prospects in 2015.
Jarrad Waite's departure for North Melbourne left a hole in Carlton's forward line, but you wouldn't have known it from Sunday's showing.
Andrejs Everitt shined early with three first-quarter goals.
Fellow ex-Bulldog Liam Jones, who struggled for form and fitness last season looked strong in marking duels during the hit-out, kicking two goals and striking up a fine partnership with the talented Levi Casboult in the process.
Jason Tutt, another Whitten Oval off-cut, kicked another in the 1.9.8 (71) to 1.7.13 (64) triumph.
In Henderson's first match of the 2015 pre-season, he liked what he saw around him in the Blues revamped forward line.
"Levi and Jonesy both showed they can really take a mark," he said.
"If you get a one-on-one with them, eight times out of ten they're going to take a mark or at least win the ball for us."
"(Jones) was really good yesterday, along with (Troy Menzel) and (Blaine Boekhorst).
"We've got a lot of options down there, even with Clem Smith buzzing around there as well.
"Even though it was a NAB Challenge game you take a bit out of it and you learn about it."
The strong crowd at Bendigo's Queen Elizabeth Oval also witnessed some excitement from the Blues' back-line, with Michael Jamison's long-bombs from defence.
Jamison abandoned the Blues defensive short-kicking style that so infuriated fans last season from the kick-in, launching huge barrels well inside the centre square.
Henderson backed the consistent defender to take the pre-season move into the regular season.
"I think (Jamison) was pretty rapt with them," he said.
"Both got over half way ... it's a good little tactic I reckon."
Henderson said Bryce Gibbs' early departure from the match was nothing for fans to worry about, saying the South Australian had a "stinger in the shoulder" and would be fine.
There wasn't good news forthcoming on ruckman Robert Warnock, who will have scans on his left shoulder after coming off in the third quarter.
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