Frustrating as he was, and brilliant as he was at other times, the Blues continue to play the waiting game in terms of finding an athletic, key forward to replace Jarrad Waite, now in third season at Arden St.

The Blues like their emerging young talent, with Harry McKay - his 2016 rookie campaign derailed because of back problems - being nursed through the VFL season, with suggestions he will get his chance in the seniors later in the campaign. Patrick Kerr, his family steeped in Blues tradition, is also seen as a strong-marking prospect.

The Blues' forward line remains a patchwork. Levi Casboult is one of the best contested marks in the league but his kicking for goal, while better this season under the renewed tutelage of Sav Rocca, remains an issue. That he was handed only a one-year deal this season, having been linked to a trade, showed the Blues were unsure whether he was a long-term proposition.

Jacob Weitering, having made his name in his rookie year as a defender, has been used as a forward - a move which has sparked much debate among the Blues' faithful. Jack Silvagni is lively but young and raw, and probably best suited to being a second or third marking option.

Waite left after the 2014 campaign as an unrestricted free agent. He had fallen out with then coach Mick Malthouse and North provided the security of a two-year deal.

Carlton great Marc Maclure, a former skipper who sits 11th in the club's all-time goal-kicking list, said the Blues still missed Waite.

"Of course they do. But he chose to move. Don't forget he is 33 or 34 years of age and is he going to be in the premiership window for us?" he said.

"He made the choice to go. Good luck to him. He has done a good job. He is good bloke and I like him. It's unfortunate he went."

Waite led the Blues' goal-kicking only once - in his final season with a modest haul of 29, which was 11 per cent of the team's number of goals that year. Small forwards Eddie Betts (42 in 2010), Andrew Walker (56 in 2011), Betts again (48 in 2012) and Jeff Garlett (43 in 2013) had led the way during what was dubbed the "mosquito fleet" era, particularly under former coach Brett Ratten.

But Waite, when not injured or suspended, provided a target where he either marked or ensured the ball dropped to ground, allowing Betts, Walker, Garlett and Chris Yarran to do their thing.

That none of those five remain at Princes Park (Walker retired, Chris Yarran joined Richmond but is now out of the league) has been a well documented tale but the bottom line for the Blues is the hunt remains on for a defining forward, something the Blues have traditionally boasted.

The frustration for the Blues is that Waite has since enjoyed career-best form at North, booting an equal team-high of 42 goals in 2015 and adding 29 last year. As reported by Fairfax Media, of the 17 matches Waite has missed since 2015, the Kangaroos have won only twice, reinforcing his value.

That utility Andrejs Everitt (31 goals in 2015), who was discarded last year, and small forward Matthew Wright (22 in 2016) have led the Blues' goal-kicking in the past two years has highlighted their lack of punch inside attacking 50.

Casboult leads the goal-kicking count entering round 10 with 15 from nine games, with Wright the only other man in double digits (12 in nine). Silvagni has eight from eight matches and Weitering seven from nine. Coach Brendon Bolton said on Saturday Weitering would play in defence against the Roos.

The Blues have done better so far this season than many tipped, enjoying three wins, but they are last for points scored (632). That's 466 points - or 77 goals - less than the league-leading Crows heading into this latest round.

Even Brisbane, with two less wins and at the foot of the ladder, had scored more points (698) but the Blues, building from defence, had conceded almost 200 points less.

The athletic McKay, the tenth overall pick in the 2015 national draft, is regarded as one of the best marks at the club, and was praised by Northern Blues coach Josh Fraser for his efforts in the VFL last weekend, when he had 11 touches and a goal.

"I thought he competed really well in the air - he brought it to ground and his second efforts and follow-up work at ground level were just about as good as we've seen from him," Fraser told the Blues' website.

A week earlier, Fraser said of Kerr: "I think he's coming along pretty nicely and he's one Carlton supporters should be excited about."

It may be too much for the Blues to ask for a young champion such as a Kernahan, Maclure or Jesaulenko to emerge but the waiting game to replace a now Kangaroo will need to end soon if they are to again be an on-field power.