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. 47, Josh Deluca. 

GAMES

2019: 6
Career: 10

GOALS

2019: 4
Career: 6 

KEY AFL STATISTICS (averages in brackets):

Disposals: 71 (11.8) Marks: 13 (2.2) Contested possessions: 35 (5.8) Tackles: 23 (3.8) Pressure acts: 94 (15.7) 

OVERVIEW

The former Fremantle midfielder was given a second chance at living out his AFL dream when he was selected by Carlton during the 2019 mid-season draft. 

On the back of an impressive first half of the season in the WAFL, the Blues sought out the tough Deluca to add additional depth their midfield and forward line.

Deluca would earn his chance on the big stage following an impressive run with the Northern Blues in the VFL, with coaches appreciating both his tenacity and willingness to put in the extra yards on and off the field. 

The 23 year old would make his debut against the Suns in Round 18, and play in the remaining six games of the 2019 season, where he would predominantly feature in the forward line. Deluca proved his value as a tough small forward, finishing the season with four goals.

 

BEST PERFORMANCE

Deluca showed Carlton fans exactly what he was capable of in the Round 22 win over St Kilda. 

In what was a tightly contested battle, Deluca was able to use his football smarts when the game was on the line, winning contested possessions and laying important tackles in the Blues’ forward half. 

He would finish the day with a season-best 15 disposals, four tackles and a goal - which gave his side the lead in the dying stages - to help the Carlton to a 10-point victory.  

SEASON HIGHLIGHT 

It was a Navy Blue debut to remember for  Deluca when he took to the AFL field for the first time since 2017 in Round 18 against the Gold Coast Suns. 

His moment came early in the third quarter when he found himself with an opportunity to extend Carlton’s lead. Deluca calmly went back and slotted the goal, as his teammates came from all over the ground to celebrate a massive moment for  the new Blue. 

THEY SAID IT

Ahead of his Carlton debut, Senior Coach David Teague outlined the reasons how Deluca had impressed the coaching staff since his arrival.

“He’s a competitor,” Teague said.

“He competes really hard, he’s strong at the contest, some of his off the ball running that we saw from the behind the goals camera really impressed us.”