‘Down the chasm’: Savage Blues reality looming as Voss clean-up nightmare emerges

In the wake of Michael Voss’ departure as Carlton head coach on Tuesday, questions are emerging thick and fast over whether the Blues fully understand what sustained success looks like in the modern AFL era.

Just hours after Voss officially stepped aside on Tuesday morning following the club’s horror 1-8 start to the season, AFL 360 host Gerard Whateley believes the Blues’ issues extend well beyond Voss, pointing towards the club’s repeated cycle of instability as to why they have “no idea how to be successful”.

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Speaking to Fox Footy on Tuesday night, the veteran broadcaster argued the Blues’ inability to evolve with the modern game was what ultimately worked against the mastermind during his reign, but the club’s lack of success is embedded far, far deeper than his reign at the club.

“The bigger picture of the Voss reign, is the game moved away from Carlton — and he didn’t see it. He certainly didn’t coach it, they strategically didn’t plan for it,” Whateley said on Tuesday evening.

“His reign is quite remarkable when you go back and review it. In 2022, they played this ‘popcorn’ footy, it was glorious to watch and it was a bit mad-cat. They missed the finals almost on the last kick of the season, when (Collingwood’s) Jamie Elliott put it through.

“The next year, they’re terrible for the first half — genuinely terrible — and then somehow or another, string together nine wins, two of the great finals victories that the club has seen, and then lead Brisbane by five goals in a preliminary final.

“Then, they get to Round 17 the following year. They’re second on the ladder, and a lot of people have them as premiership favourites. They lead the Giants by 33 points at quarter time, and then they’re never seen again. The collapse is complete. Straight down the chasm, and that is what leads us to where we are today at 1-8.”

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Whateley also questioned Carlton’s long-term cycle of instability, declaring the club’s repeated coaching changes over the last two decades pointed towards a much deeper issue than the man in the hot seat.

The Blues have now moved on seven senior coaches since the start of 2003, with Voss becoming the latest casualty in a club history littered with abrupt resets and failed rebuilds.

“They have tried every genre of coach. They bring them in, each new administration comes with their choice, all the hope that goes with it and then the collapse in whatever (2-5 year) cycle,” he explained.

“Carlton’s long suit is sacking coaches. And the whole conversation around Carlton I think during this period of time has just been ‘sack the coach’. And it probably owes to a hangover of a ruthless era of (Robert) Walls, (David) Parkin in and out of jobs when they were a successful team in a different era.

“What it speaks to, is a club that has no idea how to be successful in the modern era. To give you the genre of these coaches, they’ve tried them all … (and) they have shot every one of them off.”

“They’re still living in an era where John Elliott used to ‘hire ‘em and fire ‘em!”

CARLTON COACHES

2003-07 — Denis Pagan

2007-12 — Brett Ratten

2013-15 — Mick Malthouse

2015 — John Barker

2016-19 — Brendan Bolton

2019-2021 — David Teague

2022-26 — Michael Voss

Fraser, who joined Carlton in September last season as an assistant coach, will now take the reins in an interim capacity for the remainder of the year, with the Blues expected to begin a thorough search for their next senior coach in the near future

The club’s immediate challenge however remains salvaging a season that has rapidly spiralled, with pressure now set to intensify on both the playing group and football department after a disastrous 1-8 start to 2026.

A second domino has already fallen on Tuesday, with well-recognised list manager Nick Austin also departing the club “in order to allow the club to continue through its current period of transition.”

From the outside looking in, Melbourne captain Max Gawn initially felt that Voss’ sacking came a touch early, pointing towards the daunting task now at hand with interim coach Josh Fraser.

“I feel like it’s premature (the resignation) — 15 weeks for an interim coach is a long time,” Gawn told Triple M Melbourne’s Mick in the Morning.

“I’d be worried if I was a captain with an interim coach for 15 weeks.

“It’s a big job for ‘Crippa’. He’s had a mountain of work over the last five, six years, and he’s got another big one now to keep everything going.”

Speculation around the future of skipper Patrick Cripps will now only be amplified, despite being contracted to Ikon Park until the end of 2027.

Speaking to media doorstopping at their club’s home base on Tuesday morning, the 31-year-old played a straight bat when quizzed on his future.

“Mate I am contracted until next year, like I said before I am really committed in terms of this season, I’m not just going to wave the white flag and waste the year,” Cripps said.

“There’s a lot of footy to play out this year, so the privilege to play any game of AFL is a massive honour, there’s so many people in the world that would love to play any game of footy.

“That never gets lost for me, and especially for this footy club. So I am going keep doing what I have done for the last six to eight years, wear this jersey with pride and go for it.”