Carlton coach Mick Malthouse says the fact the Blues have lost five games by 15 points or less this year posed questions about their list.

And the veteran coach said it was not Carlton’s heart, work rate or dedication on the training track that was letting them down.

"I think the thing that beat us on the weekend was the talent level," Malthouse said.

"It doesn't say (anything) about the heart level, it doesn't say (anything) about the running level, it doesn't say (anything) about the competitiveness."

Malthouse said it was "probably unfair" on Ed Curnow to make a comparison between his and Steele Sidebottom's games on Sunday night, but said it reflected the gap between the sixth-placed Magpies and his 14^th-placed team.

Sidebottom (33 possessions) and Curnow (28) both found plenty of the ball, but the Magpie hit 90.9 of his targets while Curnow his just 57.1 per cent of his.

Malthouse said the game-defining moment late in the Blues' loss when Curnow turned the ball over in the centre corridor and Sidebottom pounced to kick the game-sealing goal highlighted the shortcomings of the Blues' list.

"One kicks it and loses it, the other picks it up and kicks a goal," Malthouse said.

"It's got nothing to do with want, it's got nothing to do with courage, it's just the ability to hit the right target or take the right option.

"Sidebottom spins around, [kicks goals] twice, and we have a couple of shots on goal and either don't make the distance or kick a point.

"So we can't get over the line in those (games). Is it lack of practice? No, it's not lack of practice.

"Is it perhaps our ability to have 22 very, very good footballers on the ground? We've got some good footballers and we've got some players that play with a lot of heart, but perhaps the talent level is not quite there."

Asked how quickly the Blues could turn their list problems around, Malthouse was reluctant to set a timeframe.

But he was heartened by the development of Carlton's youngsters, praising Blaine Johnson's performance in his debut on Sunday night, saying he had kept Jeff Garlett out of the side.

"That's the sort of (internal) pressure you have to have to improve," Malthouse said.

The three-time premiership coach also said Nick Holman and Irishman Ciaran Sheehan were "on the cusp" of making their debuts.

"When they get their games they'll improve our list," he said.

Malthouse said Mitch Robinson's two-week suspension for striking Collingwood's Taylor Adams' was "terribly disappointing".

Robinson, who was suspended for one week earlier this year for striking St Kilda's Jack Newnes, now had to realise "this is a game that's heavily scrutinised and you've got to play within the rules", Malthouse said.

Jarrad Waite was dropped to the VFL last weekend and will have to prove he has overcome a hip injury to play this weekend.

Asked what the key forward had to do to return to the Blues' team, Malthouse was succinct.

"Jarrad needs to come to grips with what we're trying to do here at Carlton and that is build a side that is massively competitive," he said.