MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 05: Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti of the Bombers and Billie Smedts of the Blues in action during the 2017 AFL round 20 match between the Essendon Bombers and the Carlton Blues at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on August 05, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Blues CEO Cain Liddle says the club will target small forwards in the off-season.

Carlton have gotten little production from their small forwards with not a single player on their list sitting in the top 30 in the league for tackles inside 50.

Recruiting boss Stephen Silvagni and list manager Michael Agresta are set to focus on players that compliment their young tall-forwards.

"Very clearly, we've got the makings of a once-in-a-generation forward line through Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay," Carlton CEO Cain Liddle told The Two Tones podcast this week.

"We now need to do some work in terms of that small crumbing defensive forward … I think most Carlton supporters can see that. But we can be very targeted with that."

Gold Coast's Jack Martin and Sydney's Tom Papley are two names that have been linked with Calrton recently, both at a position of need.

Other players that could be in the Blues' sights that come out-of-contract at the end of this season include Collingwood's Jamie Elliott (unrestricted free agent), Essendon's Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Hawthorn's Paul Puopolo (unrestricted).

Carlton are also looking to add some mature players to their roster to compliment the younger talent they've accumulated in recent years.

"We do need to go out and look at bringing some players in who are slightly older and who can play important roles for us now," Liddle said.

"When 'SOS' (Silvagni) got here a few years ago, it was really about getting the best available junior talent. We're now to a position where we can see what we've got to work with."