The Carlton Football Club began the first leg of its journey under senior coach Brendon Bolton in 2016.

After notching up seven wins for the season – three more than last year – the Blues ended up finishing 14th on the ladder.

With the team now on a break, we’re taking a look back at each player’s year in statistics. Here’s the review for Carlton’s No. 45, Andrew Gallucci:    

VFL GAMES

Season 2016: 4

Career: 42 (38 games with Williamstown)

VFL GOALS

Season 2016: 4

Career: 72 (68 for Williamstown)

KEY VFL STATISTICS (averages in brackets)

Disposals: 49 (12.3)

Marks: 5 (1.3)

Contested possessions: 20 (5.00)

Clearances: 5 (1.3)

Tackles: 9 (2.3)

OVERVIEW

Regrettably, serious injury put paid to Andrew Gallucci’s 2016 season – thereby depriving him of that rare chance to fulfill a childhood dream of representing the team he had always supported at senior level.

Wearing the No.45, Gallucci was running into form with the Northern Blues, until that fateful fourth-round contest with Collingwood at Preston City Oval.

Having booted two early goals, Gallucci damaged his shoulder so badly that surgery was required, bringing a premature end to the lively forward’s ’16 on-field aspirations.

Nearing his 23rd birthday, ‘The Gooch’ is hoping Dame Fortune may at last smile as he sets himself for a solid 2017 pre-season campaign.

HE SAID IT

“We started really poorly in the first quarters, we endured in the second half and played some really good footy but it’s really disappointing to start poorly again…you’re always confident you can win and we never give up. I think the fans can see we never relent and the spirit is really good.”

– Gallucci chats to Carlton Media after the Round 4 loss to Collingwood.

THEY SAID IT

“Tackling and chase pressure was a strong feature of his game, and his ability to work to the drop of the ball was an improvement on previous weeks. He provided good spark with the ball in vicinity.” 

– Northern Blues coach Josh Fraser praises Gallucci’s performance after the team’s Round 2 win over Geelong.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT

In Carlton’s NAB Challenge game against Essendon at Ikon Park, the boyhood Bluebagger kicked his first goal in the navy blue jumper. Receiving a handball from teammate Blaine Boekhorst, Gallucci tucked the ball under his arm and ran into an open goal, delighting the cheersquad behind the big sticks.