With the retirement of Heath Scotland, the Western Australian rookie Blaine Johnson justifiably earns his elevation to senior status and with it a revised set of season aims – not to mention an acknowledgement of his predecessor’s grand career.

“I’m sad to see Heath going – he’s a real legend around here,” Johnson said in a break from training at Visy Park this week.

“But what’s happened is a good break for me. It’s another step forward to where I want to go and I’ve just got to take the opportunity now.”

Having had his name called in the third round (selection 43) in the 2013 rookie draft, the 18 year-old Johnson has steadily progressed at Carlton since parting ways with South Fremantle.

He cites the support and encouragement of his teammates for his steady progress in a year in which he’d only really aimed to make in-roads at reserve grade level, playing across half-forward and pushing up the ground.

“To earn promotion has been the goal since the start, although it’s probably come around a bit earlier than expected. I’d really been concentrating on developing some consistency in the VFL,” he said.

“But I’ve really appreciated the encouragement of all the boys in helping steer me in the right direction.”

With his elevation complete, Johnson’s obvious aspiration now is to break in at senior level.

“Since being promoted that’s the goal now, to try to get a game,” Johnson said. “Whether or not that happens is up to the coaches and how I perform, but it’s certainly the goal.”

A senior appearance would surely consign his name to the record books as the first Blaine to break through – not that he knows the origins of his christian name. As he said: “You’d have to ask my parents that . . . I’ve never asked them the question”.