At 28, Houlihan — recruited to Carlton in 1999 from Corowa-Rutherglen via the Murray Bushrangers — is the second-oldest player on Carlton’s list behind Heath Scotland, but was dropped after round 6 last year before going on to play 19 games for the season.

The silky skilled Houlihan, along with Andrew Walker and Eddie Betts, spent a month in exile after the Blues’ infamous booze cruise and subsequent indiscretions on December 19, with the trio also fined $5000 each.

But he returned to the field last weekend during Carlton’s NAB challenge match against Brisbane at Visy Park and Judd, speaking at last night’s fundraiser for Kiewa cancer sufferer Imogen Wallace, said Houlihan still had plenty left to offer, and would be used predominantly in the back half this season.

“He (Houlihan) is going well, he’s had a massive preseason,” the 2004 Brownlow medallist said.

“He obviously had that period where he was suspended from the club, but he’s worked really hard and had his first hit-out at the weekend and looked pretty good.

“We might look to use him more off half-back this season ... foot skills have become so important in the modern game and he’s one of our best users of the ball, so we might use him more back there.”

The Carlton champion, who crossed from West Coast to the Blues at the end of the 2007 season, said he was excited about sinking his teeth into the season proper.

“The preseasons can sometimes feel like they drag on forever, but we’ve done the work and now we’re looking forward to the matches and seeing how far we’ve come,” he said.

“As a group I think we’ve improved from last year.”

And the star midfielder added the loss of premier power forward Brendan Fevola, who was traded to Brisbane during the offseason, could actually make Carlton a more flexible and dangerous outfit.

“I think we’ll have a more unpredictable forward line now,” Judd said.

“It’s no secret, with Fev being such a prolific goalkicker, a lot of people are wondering where our goals will come from, but with him there we never had to explore other options.

“Now ... I think there will be a lot more options, which will make it tough for opposition teams and their zones.”