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. 22, Caleb Marchbank.

GAMES

2019: 13

Career: 48

KEY AFL STATISTICS (averages in brackets):

Disposals: 172 (13.2) Marks: 65 (5) Contested possessions: 63 (4.8) Tackles: 27 (2.1) Rebound 50s: 36 (2.8) Metres gained: 2730 (210)

OVERVIEW

While injury brought a premature halt Marchbank’s 2019 campaign, the young defender showed plenty of promise in the Blues’ backline unit.

It was a delayed start to the season for the defender, missing the first two rounds in his return from ankle injury.

But making his return to the senior side for Carlton’s Round 3 clash with Sydney, Marchbank quickly earned himself a regular place off half back.

The key defender showed his class on a number of occasions throughout the year, starring in games against Collingwood and Fremantle as he played 13 consecutive games in the middle of the year.

However, the in-form Blue’s season finished in a flash, sustaining a non-displaced fracture in his neck in Round 16.

BEST PERFORMANCE

Building towards his best as the season wore on, Marchbank’s influence could not undersold in the Blues’ narrow loss to the Magpies in Round 8.

Marchbank was outstanding at the MCG, racking up a career-high 23 disposals to go with his nine marks and eight rebound 50s.

While it wasn’t enough to stop Collingwood from nabbing the four points in the end, Marchbank was a constant presence against a barrage of inside 50s.

It would be the first time Marchbank collected coaches’ votes this season: he would back it up against Fremantle in Round 15.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT

Coinciding with his best performance, Marchbank’s season highlight came in front of a raucous MCG crowd against the old enemy.

Late in the third quarter, the game was delicately placed and the Magpies were attacking hard to close the Blues’ narrow lead.

Springing a counter attack, Jordan De Goey seemed a certainty to get on the end of it inside 50 — but Marchbank would have a decisive say.

Making up the ground with a desperate chase from the centre square, a sprawling Marchbank got a fist in to produce a spoil and stop the Pies in their tracks.