THOSE around Mitch McGovern knew how significant this week was.

Carlton’s No.11 - who in 2026 played his 100th game for the football club - officially re-signed with the Blues for another season, having finished the 2025 campaign unsure if he’d get to play another game in Navy Blue.

At that time, he was on 97 games for the Club, and hopeful rather than expectant of getting the chance to get his name on the locker. So when he was able to tell his kids Margot, Hamish and Addison that he’d be going around again in 2027, their response was…

Humbling.

“Kirst and I were in the car, and I’d just called Mum and Dad with the news. Kirst said I should tell the kids, I didn’t think they’d know what was going on,” McGovern told Carlton Media this week.

“We turned around in the car and said ‘Dad is going to play for the Blues again!’. Margot looked at me like ‘Yeah, obviously’, as if there was no other possibility. Hamish looked at me going ‘Yeah, Dad is a Blues player’. And then Addi had no idea.

“Safe to say, the reception was great. At least Kirst gave me a pat on the back.

“It’s been a great week. CD reached out to my management team early last week, and we were pretty quick with it to stick around for another year.”

The relief on McGovern’s face is evident that his story will be continuing on for another season in Navy Blue.

Over the last 12-18 months, he’s made sure to not let those doubts affect who he is around the football club. The jovial character has continued to shine through, with McGovern leaning on the advice of two former teammates who he met at Adelaide early in his playing career.

“I’ve met a lot of people in football through my career, and people who I’ve got a lot of respect for - guys like Eddie Betts and Rory Sloane - talk about the type of character you are when things don’t go your way.

“I made it an ambition of mine to help others and try to do what I can to the best of my ability, even if things weren’t going my way. That’s when your character shines through, and that’s when you get rewarded.”

Not many could’ve expected 2026 to pan out the way it did for McGovern, particularly given the role change which became permanent after just four quarters of football.

The result of a return inside attacking 50 has seen McGovern net a career-best return in front of goal, with his 33 goals now one better than the 32 he produced in his first season for Adelaide a decade ago.

It was unexpected for everyone (including McGovern himself), but he’s taken it in his stride.

“Re-signing as a forward… I did not have that on my bingo card! I’ll take it though, I’ll take anything to be here and playing footy and to be at this club.

“I actually had a chat with ‘Vossy’ over the off-season that there could be a possibility of it, I had spent a bit of time up forward in 2025. But I trained as a defender for the whole pre-season, played in Opening Round as a defender - and then in Round 1, I was a forward. And that was it.

“I’m happy to play whatever role, whether it’s forward, back or on the wing… I’m not sure you’ll see me in the midfield - ‘Crippa’, ‘Walshy’ and ‘Jags’ probably have me covered.”

Continuing on in the No.11 for another season, the McGovern family is well and truly a footballing family. His dad Andrew played for Sydney and Fremantle in the 1990s, while Mitch made his AFL debut just as brother Jeremy began to star for West Coast.

What McGovern’s milestone early in 2026 means is that his family name will now also be tied to the Carlton Football Club, as the seventh name on the No.11 locker.

“I was pretty emotional when I did my hammy last year and thought I might miss the opportunity to play 100 games here. To get there, I’m super proud: I’ve had a bit of a challenging run, but seeing my kids always want to come into the locker room to see my name, that’s very special.

“The privilege of being able to play at this footy club and get to 100 games and see my name below those greats every day is really special. You want that legacy to be around.

“I’ve had a lot of Blues people reach out in the last few days, and the amount of support and love they show me is incredible. I’m very thankful that they’ve followed me through the ups and downs. Hopefully we can keep growing, keep winning and keep this train growing.”