Mitch McGovern trade a win for Carlton as it locks in forward line for eight years, writes Jon Ralph

THERE’S a considerable caveat on Mitch McGovern and that is he actually hasn’t done too much. But JON RALPH writes given he wanted to join Carlton, it’s all systems go for the Blues. HAVE YOUR SAY

WHEN a wildly talented yet unfulfilled talent from a powerhouse side wants to go to the worst team in the competition, they should never turn him down.

It’s why Carlton’s recruitment of Mitch McGovern is a huge success for the Blues.

They ended up giving two mid-20s picks and a state league player (Shane McAdam), who they only realised they had access to two weeks ago, for a player with huge tricks and huge talent.

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A forward line of Charlie Curnow-Harry McKay-McGovern should be locked in for the next 6-8 years.

The considerable caveat is that McGovern actually hasn’t done too much yet.

This year the 190cm marking forward kicked 15 goals from 12 games, with five of them coming against the Blues in Round 7 in an easy 55-point win.

Last year he kicked 20 in 13 games and in 2016 he kicked 32 goals from 23 games.

In 2017 he kicked more than two goals on only three occasions, despite the Crows being the highest-scoring team in the competition.

Mitch McGovern booted 15 goals in 2018. Pic: Sarah Reed

Shane McAdam is an Adelaide Crow. Pic: Sarah Reed

In 2016 he again kicked over two goals on only three occasions, the Crows again the highest-scoring team in the comp.

He is about to go to the lowest-scoring team in the comp.

Buckle up for the wild ride, Mitch.

So it illustrates his challenges as a player but also why the Blues would want him.

For all of Charlie Curnow’s brilliance this year he only kicked 34 goals in 20 games, his Round 1 bag of five goals followed by a single bag of four goals and three games with three goals.

Carlton just doesn’t kick 100 points as a rule, going back 55 games to mid-2016 since the last time they hit three figures.

It is the highlights reel stuff for McGovern that is so intoxicating — the 2017 screamer and post-siren goal against Collingwood for the draw — but at 24 he is young enough to find consistency.

It’s still not obvious why he left Adelaide, with his manager Colin Young denying it was based on money, with his links to Blues assistant David Teague one strong attraction.

Carlton wants to play him as a forward, but why they should be thrilled with his acquisition is his potential as a key back.

Against North Melbourne in Round 22 he saved the game with four intercept marks when thrown back late, even if the Roos bombed the ball recklessly to him at times.

The next week against the Blues he played most of his game time in defence, mopping up with three intercept marks and nine intercept possessions.

If Patrick Kerr comes on quickly or Levi Casboult stays and rediscovers his form, McGovern could easily slot in as an intercept marking defender.

McGovern’s finest moment is arguably his late big mark against Collingwood in 2017. Pic: AFL Media

There is no better example than his older brother Jeremy, with the McGovern brothers to be paid around $2 million bucks for their combined services next year.

Have two brothers ever drawn such a massive combined pay check in a single season?

Jeremy Howe is the other obvious example of a player moving clubs with the promise of playing forward, before Nathan Buckley reneged on that deal but with brilliant results.

From this trade Sydney gets the points they want for academy pick Nick Blakey.

Adelaide held firm and got pick 13 as well as Sturt’s Shane McAdam, who will be the obvious replacement for Charlie Cameron and an immediate wingman for Eddie Betts.

And the Blues get a player in the right age demographic who they would feel should be in their next premiership side.

Aware all the time that if he was the finished product without flaws then Adelaide wouldn’t have let him go in the first place.

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