Carlton to play Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay and Mitch McGovern together in forward line in 2019

Brendon Bolton says Alex Fasolo’s actions in the wake of his embarrassing Australia Day incident shows a growing maturity, the Carlton coach confirming a three-pronged Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay and Mitch McGovern forwardline.

Brendon Bolton says Alex Fasolo’s decision to apologise to the families of Carlton officials — including the coach’s wife — after his embarrassing Australia Day incident shows his growing maturity as a person.

Bolton said he planned to back Carlton’s list strength by playing a three-pronged arsenal of tall forwards — Mitch McGovern, Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay.

McGovern is back in training after a back injury and has not yet been ruled out of JLT Series games, but Fasolo would have joined them if not for a two-month absence with a broken arm.

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As revealed by the Herald Sun, the Blues list visited Ravenhall prison on Friday as part of what Bolton said was a bid to ensure players realised their actions affected the entire team.

But while he doesn’t condone Fasolo’s actions in drinking — let alone while dehydrated after a huge Friday training session — he backed in his response after breaking his arm in a play wrestle with a mate.

Alex Fasolo has apologised to Blues officials and their families. Picture: Getty

“The incident itself, he has gone out and had a drink. He had the trip, fall and accident,’’ Bolton said on the club’s training camp on the Sunshine Coast.

“It’s not ideal and Faz was highly embarrassed. The one thing he did do which says a lot about Faz is he made contact with the people who dealt with that issue and their families.

“So I am on the phone the next day and he has contacted Louisa, my wife.

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“Lillian O’Sullivan (a Carlton welfare staffer) who does everything for people, he contacted her and thanked her and told (football boss) Brad Lloyd how he had inconvenienced him and his family.

“So what it told me about Faz is he was very remorseful but more importantly he thought about others. We are here to consider others more than self.

“He is a bit like ‘Daisy’ (Dale Thomas), he has got really quick humour and we don’t want to squash that personality. He makes me smile a bit.”

Charlie Curnow in action during a Carlton pre-season training session. Picture: Michael Klein

Fourth-year players Curnow, McKay, Jacob Weitering and David Cuningham have all had flawless summers, and Bolton expects strong seasons from them.

What most excites him about his forward line is the way McKay, Curnow and McGovern can combine as a trio to help each other and create one-on-one contests under new rules.

“The McGovern-Curnow-McKay combination, they are mobile young talls,’’ he said.

“And they are difficult match-ups because they are so mobile.

“But again it’s not whether Charlie kicks four or five goals, McGovern, Fasolo, it’s about how the group works together. Sometimes you have to make sacrificial leads so someone else has a day out.

“I think primarily we will start Mitch as a forward. But the thing about Mitch is when games are on the line he loves that, he embraces that. A bit like Shaun Burgoyne in a game. So he can get behind the ball when required, play up on the wing when required. A Mr Fix-It.”

Originally published as Carlton to play Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay and Mitch McGovern together in forward line in 2019