CARLTON is hopeful Mitch McGovern will return to football next week, with brother Jeremy urging the talented forward to use his time on the sidelines as a "penny-drop moment".

McGovern has missed the last four weeks due to conditioning issues, completing a heavy training load with Blues high-performance boss Andrew Russell in order to build his fitness.

The club's star recruit during last year's NAB AFL Trade Period arrived at Ikon Park after surgery on both ankles, before missing a period over Christmas due to a broken back.

Jeremy McGovern is hoping the penny has dropped for his brother Mitch. Picture: AFL Photos



It has meant he has played the majority of the season underdone, hurting his form during an indifferent campaign in which he has so far kicked 17 goals from 13 matches.

But the club is hopeful he will play football at either AFL or VFL level next week.

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"He should play," Carlton caretaker coach David Teague said on Sunday.

"He's not far away, whether it's next week or the week after. He'll play before season's end if he keeps tracking the way he's tracking at the moment."

Mitch McGovern has managed 17 goals from 13 games this season. Picture: AFL Photos



Carlton suffered a 24-point defeat to West Coast at Marvel Stadium, with McGovern's older brother – West Coast premiership star Jeremy – enjoying a standout display in his side's win.

Jeremy, who endured similar fitness issues throughout the start of his own career, said after the match that he believed Mitch would learn from the experience and return stronger.

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"Mitch is a pretty honest bloke and he knows where he's at," Jeremy told ABC Grandstand.

"I went through a similar thing back in the day, it's part of the learning for him.

"Hopefully, he will look back on it as a penny drop moment and he will get himself right."

Carlton takes on another premiership hopeful when it faces Richmond next week, though the Blues are unsure whether they will throw McGovern back into the fire immediately.

Instead, he could return through the VFL with the club's affiliate the Northern Blues.

"We'll sit down, and we'll discuss it," Teague said.

"Once he's available and once we think he's ready to go and can not only perform, but then train – that's what he hasn't been able to do, he hasn't been able to train – if he can perform and then train again, then we'll have a look at that and we'll see.

"Right now, the competition for spots is hot. The guys are playing well, so we'll weigh it up."

Harry McKay dances around the man on the mark and kicks a long bomb!#AFLBluesEagles pic.twitter.com/IoUDMZmy2b — AFL (@AFL) August 4, 2019

Teague himself conceded he might have let McGovern play underdone for too long, saying his leadership and experience within a young forward line ensured his place in the team.

"He's pretty mature," Teague said.

"He's one of our best when it comes to his football knowledge and football tactics. As a leader on the field … to be honest, I probably played him for a couple of weeks too long because I just wanted his leadership out there to help our forwards.

"What we have learned is that he needs to have a good pre-season. Last year, with two ankles and a back injury, it just made it really hard.

"We hoped, more than anything, that he could get his fitness throughout the season. But he was just pulling up too sore."