‘Mates don’t do that’: Awkward update in explosive Blues bake as on-air mix-up revealed — Daily

The rival senior coach that Carlton reportedly approached late last year has been revealed.

Plus, a recently retired Blues great has blown up at his former club after their thumping 63-point defeat to Sydney on Thursday night. Though his bake has come with an awkward post-script.

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Last August, the Blues rejected a report by The Age’s Sam McClure that they had “approached multiple people”, including a rival coach, to be Carlton’s new senior coach, prior to committing to Michael Voss.

Without revealing their identity, McClure told Nine’s Footy Classified last year: “One of them is a current rival coach of one of the other 17 clubs (who) was approached about the potential of coaching Carlton in 2026.”

But on Friday morning, the identity of that coach was revealed by SEN’s Tom Morris.

“Last year, Sam McClure reported that someone at Carlton reached out to a senior coach at a rival club before re-signing Michael Voss. He didn’t name that senior coach,” Morris began on SEN Breakfast.

“All summer, I’ve been sitting on it. My understanding is that senior coach was Craig McRae that someone at Carlton reached out to.

“Now, (Carlton CEO) Graham Wright, in his denials, said it was nobody of any importance … but Craig McRae was the person that someone at Carlton reached out to to gauge interest.

“Craig McRae wasn’t interested, and they moved on and (recommitted to) Michael Voss.”

McRae, at his weekly press conference on Friday afternoon, rejected Morris’ report that he was sounded out by the Blues last year.

“That’s not true — jeez, I have been caught up in a lot of things at the moment, haven’t I?” he said.

“I have got a contract here, I have just extended thankfully enough, and my best mate works there.

“That’s not … it doesn’t make any sense to me.”

In December, McRae signed a fresh deal at the Magpies through the 2028 season.

Morris’ report comes the morning after the Blues kicked off their 2026 campaign with a disenchanting 63-point loss to Sydney, which saw the Swans mercilessly pile on 18 second-half goals.

MORE COVERAGE:

RECAP: Swans’’ flag statement as Blues star admits teammates went too far — 3-2-1

‘NO BLOODY JOKE…’: ‘Snub’ storm erupts between ex-teammates

‘COMPLETELY DIFFERENT’: Voss’ defiant reaction to Carlton’s Swans smash-up

RECENTLY RETIRED STAR’S MAJOR WHACK ON OLD CLUB

Recently retired Carlton great Sam Docherty has voiced his frustration at his former side’s 63-point loss to Sydney in Opening Round.

The 184-game defender firmly labelled the Blues as “f***ed” in 2026 if their season-opening clash at the SCG was anything to go by.

Revealed via a voice message to former teammate Daniel Gorringe on the Dan Does Footy podcast, the former co-captain was blunt in his assessment of the performance.

“Exactly what happened again last night, is the same sh*t that happens in every other game,” Docherty said.

“When the game’s hot and contested and pressurised, Carlton is good in that environment. But as soon as some team can do somewhat good in the contest, the rest of the game just f***ing falls to pieces.

“Carlton were +21 in contested possessions; they were just winning all the contests around the ground, which then got the ball played in their half on their terms. Admittedly their ball movement was pretty good in the first half, and they were sort of able to control the tempo.

“But then they start losing contests. They get under pressure, they can’t get a hold of the ball and they’re just an absolute f***ing sh**show.

“Essentially, because the game gets somewhat slower and there’s more open brand footy, that’s when Carlton is f***ing horrible.

“That’s essentially what happened again last night. Sydney (were) +10 in the third quarter in contested possession. Game against Carlton, defence doesn’t hold up.

“Basically, you smack our mids again this year, and we’ll be f***ed, going off last night.”

Speaking on 3AW later, Docherty apologised for his language, saying that although he stood by its sentiments, his memo was never intended to be used by Gorringe verbatim.

“I sent (Gorringe) a recap of my thoughts from the game last night which I thought was guiding a conversation, but I didn’t think was getting used verbatim,” Docherty said.

“It is what it is. Fairly strong comments in the end with what was released on the podcast, but I stand by the thoughts of what I was talking about because I’ve been talking about it all of the back end of last year and some of last night. But I do need to apologise to everyone for the expletives used throughout.

“I wasn’t thinking it was going out verbatim, but that’s OK. (Gorringe) is one of my best mates and I understand that that’s what the podcast is about, being close to the community and doing that. Just making sure I’m clarifying my comments.”

As part of the 3AW interview, Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd said he would be “bitterly disappointed” if the same thing had happened to him.

“I don’t think mates do that to mates, personally,” Lloyd said.

‘GOING TO EXPLODE’: SWANS STAR’S SHOCK REVEAL

Sydney star Tom Papley has revealed the extent of a calf condition that restricts him from endurance running.

The star small forward, speaking on The Circus podcast, said compartment syndrome made his calves “feel like they’re going to explode” after five minutes of constant running.

Papley had an interrupted pre-season and was used as a pseudo substitute in Thursday night’s Opening Round clash against Carlton, playing just 57 per cent of game time.

“When I run more than like, you’ll think this is crazy … when I run more than like five minutes my calves legit feel like they’re going to explode,” he said.

“So I’ve had surgery on it to release the pressure but still doesn’t work, so I don’t really run 2k’ers and, yeah, it’s a weird injury.

“There’s probably only I think three people in the AFL have ever had it … I was younger and could not run longer than five minutes, I would have to stop.

“Then they’ve sort of managed me … it is good for pre-season, just short stuff, but then in games it’s fine because I’m stop-starting.”

The Swans got off to the perfect start against the Blues at the SCG, courtesy of a scintillating 12-goal third quarter.
Papley kicked his only goal in that period as the Swans overturned a 22-point deficit to win by 63 points.

CURNOW TAKES BREATH AFTER ‘WILD’ FORTNIGHT

New Sydney spearhead Charlie Curnow has candidly reflected on a “wild” period of time leading into the Swans’ season-opening trouncing of Carlton.

Curnow, who booted 3.2 in what was his Swans debut and his 150th AFL match – against his former club – heaped praise on his psychologist for her guidance throughout a trying period.

“Been a bit of a wild couple of weeks — or wild six months, really, to get to this point,” Curnow told Fox Footy post-match.

“It’s been a huge couple of weeks. Really lucky, shout out to my psychologist, Tara.

“Did a lot of work with her the last couple of weeks just about raw emotions that are coming (playing against his old side in his Swans debut). I was just going to feel a lot this week.

“It was nice just to recognise this is a big moment. (Tara’s) awesome – she’s working with the Ashes, Cricket Australia now, so shout out to Tara if she’s listening.”

Probed on what some of that work entailed, Curnow said: “We just worked on a few things that might be coming … the emotional side. Seeing my other close mates running around in a footy team on the other side – that was a big thing.

“And to do it in round zero, and play with all these boys for the first time, it was a fair bit going on. I just had to write down a few things to recognise what’s coming my way.

“It felt weird at the start. Kind of only have one decision – just dive in and enjoy it with your new teammates and yeah, I did find that really difficult because I miss all my other mates. I don’t know – it was hard.”

Carlton led by 22 points early in the third quarter before the Swans exploded, piling on 12 goals in the term.

Of Sydney’s third-quarter avalanche – which saw 75 points scored, 37 points from clearance and a score-per-inside-50 rate of 63 per cent – Fox Footy analyst Leigh Montagna said: “I don’t think I’ve seen a team literally flick a switch like that.

“To play as ordinary as they did at half-time … and then to do what they did in that third quarter, I think it’s a powerful statement to the rest of the competition.”