Carlton has dumped five players from its list including untried Irishman Aisake O'hAilpin.

And with former Sydney defender Jason Saddington retiring that means the Blues have six vacancies on their list for the 2009 season - one of which has already been filled by promising defender Michael Jamison.

Jamison was promoted off the rookie list onto the senior list after a promising 2008 season in which he played 16 games.

The other players delisted were former Port Adelaide and St Kilda ruckman Cain Ackland, Clinton Benjamin, Luke Blackwell and Ryan Jackson.

Saddington retires after having played 162 matches but just 20 with Carlton whom he joined at the end of the 2005 season.

Carlton football manager Steven Icke was quick to pay tribute to Saddington.

"Jason has been an outstanding leader at Carlton and a wonderful ambassador for the Carlton Football Club," Icke said.

"His contribution extends far beyond the 20 games he played for Carlton and he has certainly set the standard for our young players to aspire to in the manner in which he approached the game and the activities associated with AFL football."

Ackland played 21 games for Carlton for a total of 74 games (41 with Port Adelaide, 12 with St Kilda and 21 with the Blues) while Blackwell - a father/son selection in the 2004 national draft - played 23 games but none in 2008.

Jackson, the Blues' first round pick in the 2006 rookie draft, played nine games while neither Benjamin or the much-hyped O'hAilpin played a senior game.

O'hAilpin, the younger brother of Blues' defender Setanta, was taken as an international rookie in 2005 and was elevated to the Blues' senior list in 2007.

Standing 201cm and weighing 100kg, there were high hopes for the athletic 23-year-old but after a promising 2007 season in the VFL with the Northern Bullants, his expected improvement just did not eventuate in 2008.

The Blues also announced a change in their coaching panel on Monday with former player Matthew Lappin replacing ex Collingwood defender Gavin Crosica as an assistant to senior coach Brett Ratten.