Carlton recruit Andrejs Everitt said his excellent debut performance in Carlton colours "wasn't too bad" and he aims to cement his position in the line-up early in the season. 

Everitt kicked three goals for the Blues against North Melbourne and won praise from coach Mick Malthouse but he said he just plans to keep working hard to win the respect of his teammates. 

He has been training with the backline for most of the pre-season as he endeavours to improve his defensive actions but he said the coach sees his versatility as his real strength. 

"Up forward, down back, wherever they need me depending on that time of the game," Everitt said of his likely position. 

The 24-year-old was the last player to switch clubs in the 2013 exchange period after the Swans struggled to find space for him when their salary cap tightened after Lance Franklin was recruited. 

Everitt had established himself in the Swans line-up and was one of their best in the preliminary final loss to Fremantle. However, he has found the adjustment relatively easy and said he enjoyed being back in the action on Saturday. 

"[It's] always good to get your first kick underway," he said. "Then I settled in pretty well. I've played 80-odd games and sort of know what to do around the traps."

He will be expected to fill many roles at Carlton and hopes to have an impact whether needed in defence, forward or on the wing. The utility thinks his ability to play in numerous positions is a real strength and he expects to switch and swap with fellow utility Andrew Walker. 

"You can go up forward and you might pick up a smaller defender and you go down back and you can either pick up a tall or a small [and being a] six-foot-four (194cm) winger ... is a big advantage and that is what Mick [Malthouse] likes," Everitt said.  

He knows the anonymity he enjoyed in Sydney is now gone and said his partner found it a bit harder to get used to than he did. 

But his expectations have not changed: focus on improving all the time and play his role.