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. 14, Liam Jones.
GAMES
2019: 13
Career: 125
GOALS
2019: 0
Career: 84
KEY AFL STATISTICS (averages in brackets):
Disposals: 116 (8.9) Marks: 62 (4.8) Rebound 50s: 36 (2.8) Contested marks: 25 (1.9) Intercept marks: 40 (3.1) Spoils: 98 (7.5) Score involvements: 58 (3.6)
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OVERVIEW
From the first game of 2019, Liam Jones showed this year was one where he had elevated his game even further in defence.
Taking the scalps of Jack Riewoldt, Lance Franklin and Aaron Naughton in the early rounds of the season, only a nasty concussion halted Jones in Round 7 when he was in the form of his career.
Jones rebounded to enjoy a strong finish to the year, before a fractured larynx sustained against Richmond ruled him out for the final two games of the year.
Come the end of the year, Jones ranked fifth for one percenters per game in the competition. His partnership with Jacob Weitering at the heart of Carlton’s defence improved by the week.
BEST PERFORMANCE
Early in the year, Jones’ showing on Franklin - where he kept the Sydney star to two goals - in Round 3 made the football world notice the work of the revitalised defender.
However, in testing circumstances, it was Jones’ showing against the premiership favourites which may very well have been his best of the year.
Returning to the team after the passing of his mother, Jones was a pillar for Carlton against Richmond in Round 21.
Lining up against Jack Riewoldt, Jones had 15 one percenters to go with six rebound 50s and seven intercepts.
SEASON HIGHLIGHT
The leaping Liam from his former days as a forward is never far away, and that was evident against Hawthorn in Round 6.
Showing he is just as capable of locking down his man as he is with his high-flying, Jones took two outstanding contested marks in his home state of Tasmania.
There’s no point writing about it: watch the twin tower grabs below.
THEY SAID IT
Back in July, Jones re-signed with the Carlton Football Club for a further three years in another chapter of his stunning career transformation.
Writing for the Carlton website, Jones detailed how much it means to him to continue playing the game he loves.
“Every morning, I’m waking up pinching myself,” Jones said.
“I’m living the dream to be given the opportunity to play at the elite level for a further three years.
“I’m so grateful to the Club for showing its faith in me.”
