But the former Blues captain does not expect Houlihan or his teammates to have their finest moment on Saturday when they come up against Collingwood, the team Koutoufides expects to win this year’s flag.

Koutoufides, who will be in Albury for an intimate dinner with another Carlton legend Wayne Johnston and 36 guests next week, said the occasionally-maligned Houlihan, 28 years old and nearing 200 games (195), has shown enough form in the past two seasons to warrant a spot in the navy blue for years to come.

“I still think Ryan has a lot to offer the club,” Koutoufides told The Border Mail yesterday.

“I think he’s a very dangerous proposition for opposition teams if he gets space because he’s got silky smooth skills.

“He’s done a few defensive jobs in the forward line this year and I think he’s done pretty well that way and I still think he’s got a long future with the club.”

Houlihan is expected to return from a knee injury that had sidelined him for two weeks when the Blues take on ladder leader Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday.

Koutoufides said an honorable loss would suffice against the in-form Pies.

“Collingwood is my premiership favourite,” he declared.

“If Carlton get within three or four goals then they’ve done their job because this Collingwood team is flying.

“Carlton has surprised Collingwood a few times in the past two or three years but the Magpies are playing really good footy at the moment and beat them pretty easily (53 points) last time.”

Carlton, seventh on the ladder and one game clear inside the eight, snapped a mid-season form slump last week with a 26-point win against wooden-spoon favourite West Coast and Koutoufides is confident the Blues can continue their winning ways into September.

“They’re probably the most inconsistent side in the competition because at their best they have been unbelievable but at their worst they’ve been terrible,” the two-time Blues best and fairest said.