Carlton is desperate to make a big bang next season Paul Chapman could land at the Blues. CARLTON loves big numbers: 16 premiership cups in their Visy Park atrium, $700,000 a year to Dale Thomas, and a 150-year anniversary next season. That final figure is significant, with the Blues desperate for a big bang in a big milestone season. It means this week we have lost count of the number of existing players the Blues have shopped around, and rivals they have actively pursued. Heath Shaw (now discounted), Shane Savage (now a Saint),Taylor Adams (likely Collingwood-bound), Paul Chapman (still a real chance) and James Podsiadly (a fall-back option) are joined by Sam Docherty, Brent Staker, Daniel Cross, Viv Michie. The critics have had a field day. To paraphrase those in the cheap seats, is there anyone the Blues aren't into? Former Adelaide skipper Mark Ricciuto shares his thoughts on the Essendon coaching situation and the latest trade deals in the AFL. Yet if there is no doubt Carlton's list is growing increasingly old, surely we should applaud their bravery at the same time as we assess the risks. Better to be an active player who doesn't rule anything out than doing nothing, which is precisely what happened at Carlton last year. Consider for a moment the possibilities. It is a big if, but if Dale Thomas can get back to his best football next year, and Marc Murphy can shrug off this season's knee soreness, theirs is a midfield to behold. With Chris Judd and Bryce Gibbs and it has as much star power as any midfield bar Sydney. Why wouldn't Carlton be interested in Chapman on a two-year deal and Podsiadly on a "minium chips" rookie contract? There is no doubting Eddie Betts is a significant free agency loss given eight consecutive seasons of 20-plus goals, including 98 combined in 2011-12. But if Mick Malthouse can slot in Chapman, perhaps Podsiadly, potentially improving Brisbane flanker Sam Docherty, and see improvement from Carlton kids like Matthew Watson and Daniel Menzel, there is cause for real optimism. You don't make a dozen or so changes to your list and bring in a high-priced recruit like Thomas and not get saddled with premiership expectations. Especially when those changes could make you the oldest list in the competition. On the current primary list including this week's loss of Shaun Hampson, the Blues are the second oldest list in the competition. The addition of Chapman would make them older than Sydney, with five 30-plus players and Kade Simpson and Nick Duigan reaching that milestone next year. It's not quite premiership or bust stuff, but the Blues now have only eight players under 23, while Geelong has 18 of them. Clearly if Josh Bootsma, Kane Lucas and Levi Casboult are being shopped around Malthouse hasn't got them in his premiership plans. But at least Carlton is out there trying to make plays and aggressively improve its list while some rivals sit back and do nothing.