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Back in the day, former Carlton president John Elliott would have suggested a takeover, or merger, of a rival club, to help the Blues out of the mire. That was, in part, the case in 1991 when the Blues bought a large parcel of North Melbourne voting shares. Had that deal ultimately succeeded, the Blues would have got their hands on the likes of Wayne Carey, Glenn Archer and John Longmire – ensuring the new entity almost certainly would have had more than the three premierships the two clubs collectively shared through the 1990s.

If only life in the AFL could have been so simple.

From watching the two clubs over the weekend, the contrast could not have been greater. It's clear the Blues are in trouble, to the point where they have come clean and admitted they are rebuilding, while North's clash against Port Adelaide, in what was a high-octane and bruising battle, reinforced why they are a top-four challenger.

There was also a message for the Blues' brass from that match – a rebuild doesn't necessarily mean bottoming out in the manner of a Melbourne or St Kilda in the hope of re-emerging as a threat at some hoped-for date.

The Kangaroos' recent nadir came in 2009 when, after two years in the finals, they slipped to 13th – where the Blues finished last season. Coach Dean Laidley (now a Blues assistant) quit during the season, replaced, once the campaign was done, by a fresh-faced Brad Scott.

With pick five in the 2009 national draft, they took hard nut Ben Cunnington. Ryan Bastinac​ followed with pick 21 and Aaron Black four spots later, the latter thanks to a trade with Hawthorn for Josh Gibson. They would leap to ninth in Scott's first year.

Shaun Atley (pick 17) and Kieran Harper (pick 27) would come aboard soon after, the latter selection secured through another trade with Hawthorn, this time for David Hale. The Roos would again finish ninth.

In subsequent seasons, the Roos would have a brief finals fling in 2012, when they were crunched by the Eagles in Perth, but that year's draft would still reap forward Taylor Garner (his 2014 ruined by injury), Ben Jacobs, who starred against the Power, the impressive Mason Wood (pick 41) and hard-running former Hawk Sam Gibson.

A year later, having slipped to 10th, but still managing to win 10 matches, the Roos would profit from a father-son selection of Luke McDonald, while plucking a good one with pick 47 in the name of Tasmanian forward Ben Brown. Again, mid-draft selections would prove profitable.

The Roos' blueprint would also then shift to free agency, adding class to their list with Nick Dal Santo in 2013 - and depth with the handy Robin Nahas that same year, while claiming disgruntled pair Shaun Higgins and Jarrad Waite last year in a season when they had already made the step into the top four.

The bottom line is this. They have remained in — or have been — in finals contention throughout Scott's tenure, including initially when many had expected they would slip to the foot of the ladder.

Remaining mid-table is one way of appeasing sponsors, supporters and even players, for the latter would be happy to remain, for most of the season, at least, in the finals hunt. It could also help to attract would-be free agents keen to join a club in the finals mix, an appeal Mick Malthouse says his Blues don't have.

The Blues must now ask whether their core group is strong enough to rebuild around, or whether a major name needs to be shopped in a bid to secure a couple of high draft picks and fast-track the process. They will also have to make decisions on three father-son prospects.

"Carlton have announced the rebuild – it depends what you mean by rebuild. I am not even sure Carlton know what that means," league legend Leigh Matthews said on the weekend.

"It's very confusing, what the president is saying, what Mick Malthouse is saying. They are not talking as if, 'Yeah, we are prepared to go down to get the best draft talent and pop up again'."

The football world has seen with the Demons that a full-scale rebuild complete with a plethora of first-round draft picks does not necessarily mean an automatic ascension. The Saints have followed this path, but their so-called "road to 2018" could yet feature many a pothole.

Now ensconced as the Blues' recruiting chief, it's over to Steve Silvagni to decide whether it's to be a productive renovation or a major rebuild.