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. 34, Andrew Phillips

GAMES

2019: 5

Career: 41

GOALS

2019: 1

Career: 15

KEY AFL STATISTICS (averages in brackets):

Disposals: 57 (11.4) Marks: 18 (3.6) Contested possessions: 31 (6.2) Tackles: 18 (3.6) Clearances: 16 (3.2) Hitouts: 147 (29.4)

OVERVIEW

Andrew Phillips proved himself as a reliable option for the Blues in 2019.

Playing senior five games over the year, Phillips showed himself to be a more than capable ruck option for Carlton in the absence of Matthew Kreuzer.

Phillips held his own at the centre bounce over his five senior appearances and proved his wares as a tap ruckman, averaging 29.4 hitouts a game for the Blues.

The Blues big man also proved a reliable target aerially, finishing the year with an average of 3.6 marks (two contested) a game.

BEST PERFORMANCE

Having spent the majority of the season with the Northern Blues, Phillips got another opportunity at senior level when Carlton faced Adelaide in Round 19.

Phillips was dominant at the centre bounce, notching 35 hitouts in his first AFL game in over three months.

Of those 35, an incredible 16 of those were to advantage, with the on-ball brigade - led by Patrick Cripps - reaping the rewards in the clearance battle.

Where the experienced ruckman was able to influence the game further was in his ability to float forward and impact offensively, kicking his solitary goal for the season after a strong contested grab.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT

Throughout season 2019, Phillips consistently performed for the Northern Blues, and that was no exception against Coburg in Round 10.

The ruckman was one of the key contributors in the Battle of Bell Street victory, and it was his ability to impact both in the ruck and up forward which was most promising.

Kicking three goals for Northern, Phillips’ efforts were crucial in Northern - which was wearing its traditional Preston red - coming away with an important win.