Carlton captain Marc Murphy has joined the chorus of teammates singing the praises of recruit Liam Jones, with the star midfielder saying he's excited by the Blues' tall options in attack.

Despite losing Jarrad Waite to North Melbourne during the off-season, the Blues have deepened their key position stocks.

A productive off-season saw the arrivals of Jones (Western Bulldogs) and Kristian Jaksch (Greater Western Sydney), while important big man Matthew Kreuzer has finally shrugged off the foot issue that restricted him to just one game last season.
With Levi Casboult and Lachie Henderson already established, Murphy said the Blues suddenly have plenty of variety up forward.

"It's great in the midfield looking up and seeing some big, tall targets like that down there," Murphy told SEN from the club's pre-season camp at Mt Buller.

"It's been turned on its head, basically our whole list has been over the last 24 months – I reckon we've had about 20-odd guys come into the club.

"We had quite a small forward line up there that sides found hard to combat and now we've got some big talls down there. Our game-plan has changed quite a bit to suit that as well.

"It's really exciting going forward."

Jones and Kreuzer have drawn repeated praise from within the four walls at Visy Park this summer.

Jones, who booted 68 goals in 68 games for the Bulldogs, has changed his marking technique with help from coach Mick Malthouse and Murphy said the 197cm forward had dominated on the training track.

Liam Jones has enjoyed an impressive pre-season. (Photo: AFL Photos)

"He's absolutely flying, big Liam Jones. I know he's been pumped up a lot this pre-season by quite a few of the boys when they speak to the media, but he is a very powerful unit big Jonesy and he doesn't drop many marks," Murphy said.

"There's some boys down there – along with big Matty Kreuzer if he wants to slip down there as well – there's some big guys who have been training the house down as well."

Aside from sharpening their attack, the Blues are also trying to bolster their defence – which was the fifth-leakiest in the AFL last year.

"Defensively we weren't really good enough across the whole ground, so that's an area we've been focusing on over the whole pre-season," Murphy said.

There has been an air of positivity at Carlton this pre-season, with the Blues determined to improve on last season's 13th-placed finish.

"As Mick said in his presser the other day, we've got so many more blokes on the track compared to this time last year," Murphy said.

"We've got a lot of these young guys who are starting to put on weight and getting out on the track and training together and learning each others habits and the way we play well together.

"I think some of the young guys who have really started to press for spots is really encouraging – Patty Cripps and Nick Graham, guys who can come and play in midfield and make a name for themselves.

"But there's quite a few guys who are putting their hand up and want to be part of the senior side, which is great."