THE curtain has been drawn on an unprecedented 2020 season for the Navy Blues.

Trading Ikon Park for 10 different hotel hubs across Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, it’s been a year we won’t soon forget.

With the final siren having rung on the final game, it’s time to look at those who featured in five or more games for Carlton or made their AFL debuts in 2020.

Here’s the year that was for Carlton’s No.23, Jacob Weitering.

GAMES

2020: 17
Career: 93

GOALS

2020: 0
Career: 10

KEY AFL STATISTICS (averages in brackets):

Disposals: 188 (11.1) Marks: 74 (3.4) Intercept possessions: 96 (5.6) One percenters: 128 (7.5) Rebound 50s: 63 (3.7) One percenters: 60 (3.8)

OVERVIEW

Come February, Jacob Weitering may very well have a John Nicholls Medal around his neck.

If 2019 was the year where Weitering set himself a platform, 2020 was the one where Weitering stamped himself as one of the competition’s best key defenders.

Carlton’s No.23 was rarely beaten all season in Navy Blue, coming up against the likes of Coleman Medallist Tom Hawkins (two goals), Tom Lynch (zero goals) and Jeremy Cameron (zero goals).

Named in the All Australian squad for the first time, Weitering was one of the unluckier ones to miss out on selection in the final side — but there’s plenty more to come for the first-year member of the leadership group.

BEST PERFORMANCE

Start as you mean to go in.

Carlton was under all sorts of pressure in the season opener against Richmond, with the reigning premier ultimately coming away with a 24-point win in a high-scoring affair.

That was no fault of Weitering’s, who was simply awesome in direct opposition against Tom Lynch.

Coming up against the man who had just steered his side to a 2019 premiership, Weitering rendered Lynch markless and goalless and lost just one of eight one-on-one contests.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT

The week after the season finished was a big one for Weitering.

With his teammates, coaches and supporters singing his praises all morning, Weitering got the recognition from the wider football world in the space of two days.

Recording the most votes out of anyone in the competition, Weitering was named vice-captain of the 22under22 side, making his third appearance in the team — the most of any Blue.

Then, the next day, he was named in the All Australian squad, narrowly pipped for selection by Brisbane’s Harris Andrews and Collingwood’s Darcy Moore.

THEY SAID IT

Weitering’s status in Navy Blue only grew in 2020, and he’ll be a permanent face in the line-up for a long time.

That was made official when the No.23 signed a four-year contract extension.

“I really can’t see myself out of a Navy Blue guernsey,” Weitering told Carlton Media.

“There were a number of reasons [I re-signed]: I’m really stoked to be at the Club for another four years.

“It’s been a rough period you could probably say in my first few years at the Club, but the last 18 months have been so exciting with the new coach and new players coming in. The core group of players we have now is really exciting.”