The result of Carlton's trade period could spell well for the oft-maligned Mitch McGovern, who finished his 2025 season with some unertainty surrounding his future.

McGovern didn't play in any of the Blues' final six games of the year, with a hamstring injury seeing him fall out of the side only to remain on the outer when cleared to return.

One more game would have seen the 31-year-old reach a reported games trigger in his contract, a clause that would've given him a deal for the 2026 season.

Instead, McGovern returned to the VFL for the first time since 2022 in a game against Gold Coast's reserves, where he collected 21 disposals and 10 marks in a failed push for a recall.

"While he's probably more on the back end of his career, rather than the front end, he's shown over the last couple of years that there's less of those concerns he had around his body," McGovern's coach, Michael Voss, said of the ex-Crow in mid-August - more than a month from his last game.

"Being one of the older players and seeing some of the younger players playing well ... the only conversations I've had is that he's been excited by what he's seen, but he's also desperate to play.

"By not playing, clearly he's disappointed in not being able to do that."

McGovern, along with Will White, Harry Charleson, Francis Evans and Flynn Young, were left in contract limbo across the course of the trade and free agency period, which proved to be a busy one of the Blues.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 10: Mitch McGovern of the Blues is congratulated by Charlie Curnow after kicking a goal during the round 18 AFL match between Carlton Blues and Brisbane Lions at Marvel Stadium on July 10, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 10: Mitch McGovern of the Blues is congratulated by Charlie Curnow after kicking a goal during the round 18 AFL match between Carlton Blues and Brisbane Lions at Marvel Stadium on July 10, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Carlton traded Charlie Curnow to Sydney in a deal that saw Will Hayward head the other way, while another Swan in Ollie Florent also landed at Princes Park during Wednesday's deadline day.

Gold Coast's Ben Ainsworth, West Coast's Campbell Chesser and Fremantle's Liam Reidy also ventured to Carlton in the trade period, with Corey Durdin departing for Port Adelaide.

Carlton also bid farewell to Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni, who both joined St Kilda on the opening day of free agency over a fortnight ago.

The mass change may have been hard to know whether it hindered or helped McGovern's prospects of an eighth season in navy blue, but it's likely the latter.

One part of Carlton's trade plans that didn't come to fruition was the acquisition of Western Bulldogs defender Buku Khamis, who was seeking a move to the Blues this off-season.

With no agreement found between the two clubs, and Khamis having a year to run on his contract at the Kennel, the 25-year-old remains a Bulldogs player for the next 12 months.

BALLARAT, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: Esava Ratugolea of the Power and Buku Khamis of the Bulldogs compete for the ball during the round eight AFL match between Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide Power at Mars Stadium, on May 03, 2025, in Ballarat, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
BALLARAT, AUSTRALIA - MAY 03: Esava Ratugolea of the Power and Buku Khamis of the Bulldogs compete for the ball during the round eight AFL match between Western Bulldogs and Port Adelaide Power at Mars Stadium, on May 03, 2025, in Ballarat, Australia. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

Khamis was flagged to slot into a role made vacant by Silvagni's departure, with a spot open alongside Jacob Weitering and Nick Haynes on Voss' last line.

That role could fall to McGovern, who will have fellow fringe tall Lewis Young to battle with should he earn a new deal for next year.

Carlton will have father-son selection Harry Dean by the end of next month's draft, with the top-rated key defender potentially needing some time before being used at senior level. Dean and Weitering look to be the long-term pairing at Carlton, with Harry O'Farrell - who seemingly went past McGovern in the pecking order this year - also in consideration, but currently sidelined with an ACL injury that places most of his 2026 campaign in doubt.

O'Farrell's absence, coupled with the failed play for Khamis, might just be enough to see McGovern add to his 97 games for the Blues.

Curnow's exit may also aid those prospects, with McGovern often called on as a forward in times of need since crossing from Adelaide as a lethal attacking option in 2018.

Carlton's key forward stocks have taken a hit, with Harry McKay shaping up as a sole target to star 2025 given Brodie Kemp's Achilles injury from April this year.

The Blues could hand young ruckman Hudson O'Keeffe a predominant forward role to partner McKay, who may then be relieved from pinch-hitting in the ruck.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 03: Mitch McGovern of the Blues kicks the ball during the 2025 AFL Round 04 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Carlton Blues at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 3, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 03: Mitch McGovern of the Blues kicks the ball during the 2025 AFL Round 04 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Carlton Blues at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 3, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The direction Voss and the Blues take will be telling. Do they back the older McGovern for some immediate help, or call on the new age in O'Keeffe, who might not be ready for such a role?

It'll be a decision that might show how the Blues see their standing next year, having added five players ready to have an impact to their trio of first-round draft selections from Sydney.

The call might just be one that decides McGovern's fate over the next week or so. If the Blues are all-in on the future, he could be left on the outer.