YOUNG Carlton midfielder Liam Stocker has left the club's Queensland hub to return to Victoria for personal reasons.

The Blues confirmed the 20-year-old was no longer with the team but planned to be back at some stage this season.

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Carlton plays North Melbourne at the Gabba on Saturday and will probably fly to Perth that night and remain there until at least the end of round 12. It's unlikely Stocker will rejoin the squad before the end of that period.

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The Sandringham Dragons product hasn't appeared at AFL level in 2020 after playing five senior games in his debut season last year.

He spent last year in a defensive role but is back in the midfield, the position he played while winning the Morrish Medal in the then-TAC Cup (now NAB League) in 2018.

Carlton famously drafted Stocker with the No.19 selection two years ago after completing the first 'live' trade during the draft with Adelaide. 

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Go inside the inner sanctum on draft night as Carlton, Gold Coast and St Kilda choose the top four selections

Published on Dec 14, 2018

The clubs swapped what were then future first-round picks – not knowing where each other would finish – while the Blues also scored the 2018 selection used to snare Stocker.

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Carlton ended up finishing 16th last season, while the Crows placed 11th.