'I fell short': Carlton coach Michael Voss takes blame in Blues' horror year
Carlton coach Michael Voss has conceded he “fell short” as a leader during a horror AFL season in which the Blues “culturally defeated” themselves.
Voss has been backed to continue as coach into 2026 - the last year of his existing contract - despite a poor 9-14 record this year which left Carlton well out of the finals picture.
Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni have since left for St Kilda as free agents and contracted star forward Charlie Curnow is agitating for a fresh start elsewhere during the trade period which starts on Monday.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.All three were in attendance at the Blues’ best-and-fairest event on Sunday night, when Voss reflected on a turbulent campaign in his address on stage.
“As a leader, I fell short on what was required’,” Voss said.
“That has been a difficult reflection. I let you down, and that sits really uncomfortably with me.
“I am deeply grateful for the chance to keep leading this incredible place.
“But no expectation in this room will ever exceed the responsibility I feel for our club, our people and our families.”
Voss described a 56-point loss to Collingwood in July as the “most humbling” moment of his career.
The 50-year-old, who led the Blues to consecutive finals series in 2023-24, called for unity moving forward.
“I could tell you what you’d like to hear tonight, but tonight is (about) what we all need to hear,” Voss said.
“Right now, we are not a very resilient football club.
“This club is powerful if we choose it to be, but the fight must be out there, not in here.”
Carlton are standing firm on Curnow, who has interest from Geelong and Sydney, with list boss Nick Austin expecting the dual Coleman medallist to remain in navy blue.
“Our position on Charlie (Curnow) has been clear for quite some time now,” Austin said in an interview published on Carlton’s website on Sunday.
“We had a really honest conversation with Charlie at the end of the season, and again, any decision we make is in the best interests of the Carlton Football Club.
“He’s had a bit of a chance to go away over the break and have a bit of a refresh, but we fully expect him to be a Carlton player in 2026.”
