The Voss era at breaking point as Carlton prepares for Collingwood

Following Carlton’s round three loss to the Western Bulldogs, prominent football media figure and staunch Carlton supporter Daniel Gorringe may have said it best in his assessment of the Blues. “Don’t be half good, then half shit! I’d rather you be shit from the start to finish… Cos it’s the f****n hope that kills ya!”

While Gorringe is known for his over-the-top reactions to Carlton’s lacklustre performances in his attempts to garner attention from viewers, many Carlton fans find themselves in the same boat.

Watching a talented young core that boasts the best big forward in the league in Charlie Curnow, a two-time Brownlow medallist in Patrick Cripps and a host of formidable talent, fail to maintain a high standard of play under pressure has disillusioned many fans with the team and the club in general.

Cripps kissing his second Brownlow Medal after his 2024 victory.

After their round one loss to a Richmond team that Adelaide Crows legend Mark Bickley claimed would not win a single game for the season, Carlton players were heckled by their fans as they exited the ground. The Carlton faithful hurled obscenities and all manner of swear words at the players, Brendan Fevola labelling the crushing loss as one of the “darkest nights” in Carlton’s history.

All this criticism stems from the fact that Carlton came into this season labelled as a genuine Premiership contender. This assumption was driven by fans such as Gorringe, who has watched this core develop for years. It was hoped that their 2024 loss in the first round of the finals to the eventual Premier the Brisbane Lions in a competitive game, had given them the finals experience they needed to take another step in 2025.

With three consecutive losses under their belt however, and a firm grip on the 16th spot on the ladder, it feels as if everything is coming to a head with Thursday’s round four match against Collingwood.

What would a loss mean for Carlton? One factor influencing the importance of this game is the Carlton-Collingwood rivalry that reaches more than 100 years into VFL/AFL history.

A loss against Carlton’s most hated enemy would compound the devastation and many questions will be raised, the first and most important being whether Michael Voss keeps his position as Carlton’s head coach.

To put it simply, no, he won’t. His already shaky grip on the job coming into this year has only loosened in the three losses so far. The team has led at halftime in each game and managed to blow their lead each time.  Like many other coaches before him before,  Voss will have to shoulder all of the blame for Carlton’s poor performance, and he will be swiftly thrown out of the door.

Furthermore, it seems he has lost the team, meaning they simply don’t believe in his system. Nor do they maintain a high standard of play. They need a new figurehead, preferably one who can reinstate their stalwart backline from 2024 and turn those resultant stoppages into an offense that capitalises on their speed and high-level distributors.

Heads were down as the squad exited after another second half blown lead to the Bulldogs.

The Blues face the wrath of fans after another loss in round three to the Bulldogs.

And while Voss may have lost the players, it seems that in turn, the players have begun to lose one of the most loyal fanbases in the league. A loss to Collingwood will just compound the disillusionment and vitriol from fans, impacting the players performances and feeding a downward spiral.

A win buys them time. While a Voss firing is not completely ruled out with a win against the Magpies, he may earn a week to consolidate and reacquire a commitment to his coaching system, and build from there.

With Curnow returning from injury and working his way into form, a big goalkicking performance, coupled with elite play from Walsh and Cripps, a triumph it is not out of the question.

A win also allows the Carlton squad to breathe. The season is not over and they have a chance to regain their composure.

Developing this kind of mental fortitude in high pressure situations is key for them going forward. It’s not completely out of the question for them to still have a productive year given the quality of their talent, a reminder that in 2024 Hawthorn started 0-5, and got within a kick of a prelim final. It simply takes a team with a strong mind and heart to recover from such a deficit, which Carlton will have to prove they have.

That being said, this writer is predicting a 7+ goal Collingwood win to truly put Carlton’s season to bed.