The Need for Change at Carlton
Carlton powerbroker Bruce Mathieson has made it clear that the decision to part ways with Michael Voss was the right move. He believes this is just the beginning of a broader overhaul needed for the club to regain its status as an on-field power.
The departure of the 50-year-old coach was confirmed after a difficult season, where the team managed only one win in nine games. This marked the end of what had been a challenging tenure since Voss took charge in 2022.
Over the past year, several key changes have occurred within the club’s leadership. Banker Robert Priestley replaced Luke Sayers as club president following a lewd-photo scandal. Veteran administrator Graham Wright took over as chief executive, replacing Brian Cook, while Chris Davies was appointed as the new football department boss.
With Voss now gone, Mathieson, known as the pokies king, emphasized that more changes are necessary. He pointed out that nine senior coaches, including interim ones, have left the club this century.
“They did the right thing, 100 per cent, but it’s not just him [Voss], there is a lot that has got to go, a lot of changes,” Mathieson said. “Unless they do a clean sweep and fix things up, nothing will change.”
A Disgraceful Football Department
Mathieson criticized the current state of the football department, calling it a disgrace. He highlighted the importance of the national recruiting manager role, which was recently vacated by Michael Agresta after an eight-year tenure. Nick Austin also quit as head of list management on Tuesday.
“Have a look at the recruiting, will you? Tell me, other than the young bloke [Jagga Smith], if you can’t pick in the first five and get a reasonable player, what else have we ever picked?” he said. “It’s just terrible, absolutely terrible. You have got to look at the head first – it always stinks at the head first.”
Mathieson backed Wright and Davies to make the right changes. He argued that the club needs to focus on younger players who can improve and give them a chance to succeed.
“You look at Brisbane. They had [several] players in their premiership side under 23. Name one good top player at Carlton who is 23 or younger. [Smith] is one … but there is a long way to go yet.”
Evaluating Key Players
Mathieson suggested that the Blues need to consider any rival offers for club leaders Patrick Cripps and Jacob Weitering. He also recommended moving on players like Harry McKay, Adam Saad, and Zac Williams.
“You have got [Zac] Williams, you have got [Adam] Saad, these sort of blokes are on big money. Do you reckon they are ever going to improve? It’s just bad business,” Mathieson said. “Harry McKay has played one good game [against Brisbane on Friday night]. They all think he is a miracle man. That’s the first good game he has played in about two years. Just can’t have that.”
He believed that Harry McKay should have been a ruckman all along. “I don’t think Harry McKay can read the game at full-forward. We aren’t great deliverers of the ball, that would help a lot. Get him around the ground, he can run his arse off because he can mark around the ground, he is good below [his knees], he has a lot of skill, let him build, if you are going to keep him at all. I would sell him.”
Perspectives from Club Legends
Club great Anthony Koutoufides expressed his admiration for Voss, acknowledging his efforts despite the challenges. “Vossy – he has been terrific at the club and what a wonderful man. I adore him, as a lot of people do. He got to the prelim’ final and had the toughest task to beat Brisbane up there. He did a great job Vossy,” Koutoufides told SEN.
Voss coached 103 matches, finishing with a 47.5 per cent winning record and taking the Blues into the 2023 preliminary final. “I feel like we had the talent there. At the end of last season, we lost three key players for us [Charlie Curnow, Jack Silvagni and Tom de Koning]. So, this year is a different line-up, but I think in those few years we had the players they just couldn’t get it over the line.”
David Parkin, a three-time Blues premiership coach, was on the selection panel that handed Voss the job. While he was initially confident in Voss’ abilities, he noted that over time, concerns arose about his technical and tactical knowledge.
