Michael Gibbons: I would still love to be there

After playing 47 games for the Carlton Blues, Michael Gibbons was a surprise delisting at the conclusion of the 2021 season. The 26-year-old livewire forward opens up about his dramatic three years at Princes Park, where he was coached by both Brendon Bolton and David Teague during the Blues’ rebuild.Gibbons came to the club following a standout five seasons at Williamstown Football Club from 2014 to 2018, taking out the JJ Liston Medal in 2016 and 2018, which is awarded to the best player in the VFL.On multiple occasions, Gibbons felt he was on the verge of being recruited only to have his heart broken on draft night. Finally, persistence paid off when Carlton took him as a rookie at the beginning of 2019.Gibbons quickly established himself as a regular in a pressure-forward role in the Carlton Blues’ team, but a freak injury at training caused his hamstring to “explode” in his third season, which Gibbons concedes may have cost him his AFL career.Getting axed came as a “shock” to Gibbons, and he details his heart-to-heart conversation with now Blues head coach Michael Voss. One of Gibbons’ biggest supporters has been former Carlton captain and cancer survivor Sam Docherty, who has provided a rare perspective on the value of a footy career.