Blues eye shift to youth, Voss unfazed by talk over his future

Michael Voss is determined to salvage something from the final eight weeks of the season

Michael Voss during Carlton's loss to GWS in round 11, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

CARLTON coach Michael Voss says his future at the club is the least of his concerns, with the Blues set to put their faith in youth through the final weeks of the season as they look to steady a rocky campaign.

Carlton president Rob Priestley reiterated earlier this week that Voss, who is contracted through to the end of 2026, would see out the season at Ikon Park despite a disappointing campaign where the Blues' record has plummeted to 6-9.

Voss said on Thursday that Carlton had "some youth (that) will be playing some big games over the last seven or eight weeks" in an effort to resurrect the side's recent form spiral, starting on Friday night against arch rivals Collingwood.

The Blues will be forced into at least two changes with Adam Saad (concussion) and Jack Silvagni (groin) both sidelined, with Ashton Moir, Lachie Cowan, Harry O'Farrell and Matt Carroll among those pressing for recalls.

Michael Voss and Patrick Cripps at Carlton training on June 30, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

But, despite a pair of horror results across the past fortnight against North Melbourne and Port Adelaide, Voss said Priestley's message showed the club remains united in its bid to see improvement through the second half of the season.

"What we've always been is pretty aligned with where we need to go," Voss said.

"(My future) is probably the least of the things I'm thinking about at the moment. It's more about the care for our people. We've got a job to do and it's been fairly eyes-in. I also know that sort of connection and alignment will help us.

"To have that leadership through this period of time is going to be important. My role in that is going to be really important. But we've got a great group of people. I spoke about that after the game, around the amazing group of people that we do have. They're here with the right intention and we're busily getting after getting better."

Learn More 07:15

Carlton kicked just one goal in a dismal first-half performance against Port Adelaide last Thursday night, with Voss saying his side "didn't show up with the right attitude" in their 50-point defeat.

It followed a similarly poor performance the week before against North Melbourne, where Carlton conceded eight unanswered goals after quarter time.

However, Voss said such performances weren't a sign that his side was playing without confidence.

"You've got to sometimes look at it from a body of work over a period of time and a one-off game. We don't dismiss it, we address it pretty thoroughly. But the reality was, from an away venue (against Port Adelaide), we didn't turn up the way we needed to," Voss said.

"We have to correct that pretty quickly. We're fortunate that, with this group, they turn their minds forward pretty quick. They know what they need to train during the week and that's what we've been able to do.

Learn More 02:56

"We've narrowed our focus in some of our roles with the type of pressure we want to bring around the ball. Collingwood has been pretty good at that for the entirety of the year and that's something we're going to have to make sure is really spot on."

Despite the pressure that has ramped up on Voss across the past fortnight – as well as the club's head of football Brad Lloyd and list manager Nick Austin, plus other key members of the club's football department – the Carlton coach said the focus remained squarely on seeing improvement in the final weeks of the year.

"Off the performances that you don't want, of course there's an expectation that there's going to be a level of focus," Voss said.

"There's peak interest in us right now. That we can't step away from. But also, you can't act into it either. There are certain things that we get to be able to do. How we turn up and how we show up, that's on us.

"We lock in on what we need to be able to do next. We've got Collingwood, and that's a really big game. That can shift your focus pretty quickly. There's no rest here. We look forward and we'll keep going."

Click here to read article