A STIRRING second half of the season will have Carlton full of confidence with 2019 coming to a close.

Familiar faces fired in Navy Blue while the Club’s emerging youngsters owned the future in a campaign which saw the Blues record seven wins for the year.

With the home-and-away season now over, we’re going through every player who featured for Carlton at senior level in 2019. 

Here’s the year that was for Carlton’s No. 11, Mitch McGovern. 

GAMES

2019: 16
Career: 64

GOALS

2019: 22
Career: 89

KEY AFL STATISTICS (averages in brackets):

Disposals: 136 (8.5) Marks: 60 (3.8) Contested possessions: 53 (3.3) Tackles: 24 (1.5) Inside 50s: 36 (2.3) Score involvements: 58 (3.6)

OVERVIEW

Mitch McGovern ended his first season at Carlton with 22 goals from 16 games, hitting the scoreboard in 13 of them. 

However, after a frustrating run with injury and an inability to train, the 24-year-old will have his sights set on a big 2020. 

The former Crow showed signs of his potential in the final three weeks of the season, after spending a month on the sidelines undergoing a rigorous training block at Ikon Park. 

At the beginning of the year, there was plenty of hype surrounding the three tall forwards of McGovern, Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay. While they didn’t hit their strides collectively, there were the signs to suggest the trio will be a handful for the opposition in years to come.

BEST PERFORMANCE

In front of 52,000 at the MCG, McGovern gave Carlton fans a glimpse of what’s in store for 2020 against St Kilda.

Reaping the rewards of the training block in the weeks prior, McGovern presented a strong target for the Blues in the 10-point win over the Saints. 

With seven marks and three goals - with his third giving the Blues the lead in the final term - from his 12 disposals, it was the best McGovern had moved for the entire season.

To go with it was arguably the best mark taken by a Carlton player this season, as the 24-year-old launched on top of Jake Carlisle to take an old-fashioned hanger. 

SEASON HIGHLIGHT

Making the move from Adelaide Oval to Ikon Park just under 12 months ago, it didn’t take long for McGovern to return to enemy territory.

In his 50th AFL game, McGovern received a less-than-favourable welcome from his former foes Port Adelaide: however, it was the key forward who would have his say in the third term. 

The new Blue was unforgiving when he got hold of Zak Butters in an outstanding tackle 30 metres out from goal when his team needed him most.

McGovern converted the set shot and kicked another goal moments later to give his side a big boost. 

THEY SAID IT

As McGovern neared a return to action, senior coach David Teague pointed out the influence which the key forward was having amongst the team’s emerging forward line. 

“He’s one of our best when it comes to football knowledge and football tactics as a leader on the field,” Teague said.

“I probably played him for a few weeks too long, because I wanted his leadership out there to help our forwards. He’s a mature player.

“What we have learned is he needs to have a good pre-season: with two ankles and back, it made it really hard.”