Charman, 27, played just three games before injuring his ankle in round four this year. He attempted to get back for two months before going in for a season-ending reconstruction last month.
Matthew Leuenberger has also been missing since round three with a knee injury which has thrust Mitch Clark into the main ruck position.
Charman's name was bandied about in trade week last year but he is contracted until the end of 2011.
And he believes there'll still be a job for him in 2010 despite being the club's oldest ruckman ahead of Clark, Leuenberger, Bart McCulloch, and rookies Daniel Murray and Joel Tippett.
"I've got no doubt in my mind that I can still be one of the better ruckmen in the league, and be up there to influence a game in the ruck," Charman told afl.com.au ahead of round 17.
"The only thing I can do with myself is worry about where I'm at and be concerned about where I am within the team.
"You can't help it if guys come on in leaps and bounds. It's healthy for a club to have good competition.
"Over the last couple of years, it's been a little bit of a battle for me with injuries, but in saying that, I haven't had a decent pre-season over the past couple of years either.
"If I can get a good pre-season under my belt, I'm sure that will help me throughout the season."
Charman said the development of the club's younger big men was a positive rather than something that could bring about his early demise as a player.
"There's always a lot of ruckmen that need to be on the list because they take so long to develop," he said.
"It creates good competition and it's healthy for the club because you wouldn't want to be an old ruckman holding down a position and not have any young guys coming through.
"Mitch has been going extremely well. He's been playing some really good footy. He's really stepped up and taken on a responsibility, which has been awesome.
"Bart has had a quad injury for the majority of the time he's been here, so the club has decided to rest him up and let him take a back seat so he gets his body right.
"Murray is a developing kid who's going okay. He suffered a few injuries early too, so there hasn't been too much playing for any of these guys.
"Joel has been injured as well and then he took a little bit of time to come on. He's only been playing the last seven or so weeks.
"He's coming along now and is playing some good footy in the reserves. It's just a matter of time before someone like him can get a bit of an opportunity."
Charman, who has also overcome a knee problem and a broken wrist this year, said his forced layoff offered the opportunity for him to overcome all his physical ailments.
"In a way, it's been good because it's given me a chance to give my body a good break, and get all the things that have been a problem over the last few years to get right," he said.
"I've got a bit of time off, and time to rest my body and get things fixed I haven't had a chance to between seasons.
"Now I can rest up in time for next year."
