"We just need to keep growing the number of players and the number of people at our club that are obsessive and really driven about achieving success," Judd said on Wednesday. "The more people we get in that camp, the better we will be."

Whether that required level of obsession is there at the moment is hard to say.

Judd, as a premiership star with the West Coast Eagles, would know what is required. As the Blues continue to rebuild, new president Mark LoGiudice has made it clear he wants more resources in development and recruiting as part of his bid to return the club to its glory days.

While the Blues have won just five matches heading into Friday night's clash against North Melbourne, Judd believes there are already "green shoots" of optimism.

"There has been some upside, particularly individually with our group," he said. "Blokes like Sam Rowe and Simon White, Levi Casboult, are having career-best seasons.

"And I get excited by some of the younger guys, blokes like Dylan Buckley and [Patrick] Cripps, who haven't played a heap of footy this year but certainly shown some talent. Not so much talent, but their mental appetite to want to succeed.

"We are not happy where the group sits. We have had some inconsistencies particularly in games, which we need to improve. But there are some green shoots and some exciting parts to our list.

"Port Adelaide have shown it can turn around really quickly if you make smart decisions and get everyone on the same page and get everyone working really hard to achieve a common goal, or if those things don't happen it can take a long time. I am confident this footy club will be in the camp that it turns around pretty quickly."

It is unclear if Judd will remain next season to help the transition, declaring he will not make a decision on his playing future until after the season.

There has been increasing speculation about the future of the dual Brownlow medallist, with even coach Mick Malthouse last week claiming it was best for players to retire with something still to give.

Judd, a 265-game veteran, has had an injury-interrupted season but his form was strong until a poor night individually, and for the team as a whole, against the Swans on Saturday.

"I am pretty clear on what I want to do at the end of the year," Judd said. "At the end of the day, I think it's your body that really decides whether or not you keep playing.

"It's the wise thing to do, to make that decision at the end of the year when you know exactly where your body sits. All will be revealed soon enough. That's all it is."

Judd, who turns 31 in September, said he felt physically strong after his season was derailed initially by Achilles tendon surgery and then a hamstring injury minutes into his return match against the Western Bulldogs in round five.

"The body is feeling fine. I am looking forward to this week's game against the Kangaroos. That's what can get lost too. I don't want the last six weeks to be a potential retirement show.

"We have got footy to play, fans to please, growth that needs to occur in our group to hold us in good stead for next year and that should be the focus for the next six weeks for this footy club."

Judd said he understood the comments Malthouse made last week, which some commentators have suggested could have offended the champion midfielder. The former Eagle, however, said players differed in how they approached the end of their careers.

"I probably sit in a similar camp to Mick on that," he said. "It also really depends on the individual and their personal mindset. Some guys will want to finish it feeling still really proud of how they can play, other guys will want to finish it at a stage that they are 100 per cent sure they couldn't play another minute of football.

"I think Mick's comments were accurate but that is an individual thing for each player."

Judd said he had broached the issue of retirement with Malthouse.

"I have spoken to Mick in passing about retirement and I understand that I have his blessing if I want to go on, and if I want to call it an end this year, then he will support that decision, too," he said.

"I am really clear I have his support regardless of which way I choose to go. I think his comments were fine."

Malthouse has also been a topic of discussion this week, since his on-field verbal spat with Channel Seven commentator Cameron Ling on Saturday night. This has prompted criticism of Malthouse's emotional style, something Judd said the industry needed to be careful about.

"There is no doubt Mick is incredibly passionate about his football, particularly on game day, he still really has almost white line fever. It is a balancing act.

"On the one hand, there is criticism that there are no characters left in the game. That gets the criticism aimed at a lot of people in the AFL industry and then I guess when you do have people that show emotion and are passionate about the sport, that gets criticised as well.

"I know for a fact just how highly he rates Cameron Ling. He really likes him as a bloke and really rates him as a footy person. I doubt whatever happened at the weekend, and I wasn't even aware of it at the time, that anything was personally labelled at Lingy."