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. 6, Kade Simpson.

GAMES

2019: 18
Career: 325 

GOALS

2019: 3
Career:138

KEY AFL STATISTICS (averages in brackets):

Disposals: 366 (20.3) Marks: 85 (4.7) Contested possessions: 96 (5.3) Tackles: 46 (2.6) Rebound 50s: 101 (5.6) Metres gained: 7333 (407.4)

OVERVIEW

Simpson continued to impress in the Navy Blue in 2019 and showed no signs of slowing down, despite being the AFL’s second oldest player.

The reliable defender played 18 games this season and continued to be a leader in the back half for the Blues.

In a remarkable feat, Simpson’s average of 20.3 disposals was his 10th straight year where he averaged 20 or more possessions per game.

Bluebaggers will certainly be excited about the 35-year-old pulling on the Navy Blue in 2020 for his 18th season.

BEST PERFORMANCE

Simpson provided his trademark consistency for the Blues throughout the season, but he really stood out in Round 19.

In Carlton’s 27-point win over Adelaide, Simpson collected the equal second-most disposals on the ground (31) to go with his 12 marks, eight rebound 50s and 591 metres gained.

To top it all off, the No. 6 kicked his third goal for the season, converting a set shot on goal beautifully at a critical time in the third quarter.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT

Simpson rose up to fourth on Carlton’s list of games played when he ran out for his 313th match against Hawthorn in Round 6.

The 35-year-old surpassed Blues full-back of the century Stephen Silvagni with the feat.

Only Craig Bradley (375 games), Bruce Doull (356) and John Nicholls (328) sit above the experienced Blue, who now sits on 325 games ahead of 2020. 

THEY SAID IT

After signing with the Club for the 2020 season, Carlton General Manager of List Management and Strategy Stephen Silvagni expressed his excitement about Simpson continuing to pull on the Navy Blue.

“Kade is the epitome of the player we want at the Carlton Football Club – he is a heart and soul player who gives his all every time he runs out in the Navy Blue,” Silvagni said.

“He is a terrific role model for this group and an influential leader who continually gets the best out of himself and those around him.

“We are thrilled Kade is going around again next year.”