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. 13, Liam Stocker.  

GAMES

2019: 5

KEY AFL STATISTICS (averages in brackets):

Disposals: 68 (13.6) Rebound 50s: 12 (2.4) Contested possessions: 20 (4) Tackles: 9 (1.8) Pressure acts 64 (12.8) Metres gained: 962 (192.5)

OVERVIEW

Arriving at Ikon Park as the first player in AFL history to be selected as part of a live trade on draft night, Stocker showed plenty of promise in his first season in Navy Blue.

On the back of strong VFL form, Stocker earned his AFL debut in Round 7 against North Melbourne, going on to play five games in a row across half back.

A foot injury sidelined the 19-year-old for the next two months, returning later in the season in a midfield role for the Northern Blues.

The youngster provided plenty of excitement for the Blues faithful with his elite kicking and appetite for the contest.

BEST PERFORMANCE

In just his second game, Stocker played against the old enemy in front of 70,000 at the MCG and flourished across half back.

Picking up 16 disposals while also laying three tackles, Stocker wasn’t intimidated by the big stage, showing his class in the first quarter and holding his own against the 2018 Grand Finalist.

The 19-year-old backed it up the following week with a season-high 18 possessions against the Giants in what was a bright start to his AFL career.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT

Back in November, Stocker was drafted as a combative player who possessed elite skills on both sides of his body: it didn’t take long for him to show his wares at the elite level.

In Round 11 against Essendon, Stocker smothered an attempted kick from David Zaharakis before collecting the loose ball, instinctivelywheeling onto his left foot and finding Harry McKay inside 50.  

THEY SAID IT

Development coach Shane Watson was full of praise for Stocker’s kicking ability after just one VFL game when speaking to Carlton Coaches’ Corner.

“He is a beautiful kick: some of the targets he hits by foot coming out of the defensive 50 are fantastic for us,” Watson said.

“It got the momentum going with our ball movement.

“We want him taking the more attacking option, that certainly is something we want to grow in his game.”