There was a “state of the Carlton nation” feel to Michael Voss’ rally cry on Wednesday, delivered in front of a lectern bearing the club’s marketing slogan, “stronger together”.
The motto was adopted during the Blues’ roller-coaster 2023 season when they overcame a six-game losing streak to reach their first preliminary final since 2000. According to the club’s website, the phrase captures “our resilience and commitment to stick together, no matter what”.
A week into the 2025 campaign, that faith is already being tested. Fans have already leaned over the race to vent their fury. There is unease in the Carlton community. A quick scan of some of the fan-driven titles after last week’s result tells you that much.
“Over Paid, Over Hyped, Full of Shit, Full of Spin. Grow up” was one. “The worst performance I’ve seen” was another. A shock loss to the wooden spoon favourites can have that effect.
Michael Voss at the lectern on Wednesday.Credit: Getty Images
The sight of popular former clubman Matt Kennedy playing well in Western Bulldogs colours last weekend would not have lifted the spirits of the faithful either, while there would have been some wondering how handy goalsneak Matt Owies, third for goals last year, could have done if he was still in the navy blue.
The Tigers were invigorated by an injection of youth, headlined by No.1 pick Sam Lalor. The Blues’ prized selection Jagga Smith is out for the season.
Despite two decades of failure, Blues fans keep coming back. They delivered a record membership last year. Another record looms in 2025. Some 80,000 are expected for the Blues’ first home game of the year against Hawthorn on Thursday night.
“As a football club, we’re all in it together,” Voss said. “Walking out there every single time we play, we want to make them proud. We let them down, let ourselves down in certain areas [against Richmond].
“All I know, though, is that what we’ve built this club off over the last three years is being able to stick together, be strong together, just come with the intent to make it as loud as you possibly can [on Thursday] night.”
Last week’s game was 2024 in a nutshell for the Blues. Brilliant in parts, awful in others, and ultimately ending in disappointment.
The player-led review was robust, separating what’s real from what’s not. What is real is how a seasoned Blues team went to water when Richmond’s cubs dialled up the heat, committing a litany of mistakes that turned a 41-point lead into defeat.
“I don’t think we need to make this too complicated,” Voss said. “I think the sort of simplicity is we just lost connection with one another.”
That’s coach speak for players becoming 18 individuals rather than uniting as one on the field.
Charlie Curnow’s return will bolster the Blues, but Voss is guarding against the dual Coleman medallist being viewed as the messiah.
What Curnow’s availability may change is how skipper Patrick Cripps is deployed after criticism last week of his use as the second ruck. The feedback was bemusing for Voss. The role is not new for Cripps, though the sight of the champion midfielder limping in the rooms was sobering.
“He’s won a Brownlow Medal doing it, he goes all right,” Voss said.
Last week’s defeat may prove costly by season’s end, but a loss in round one should not derail the season. Brisbane lost their first three games last year and did not break into the eight until the end of June. The previous year, Carlton and Greater Western Sydney spent time in the bottom four before reaching the final four.
“That’s the context,” Voss said. “We have to accept that. What you can’t do is make this bigger than what it actually really is. But you’re also finding that balance, it also can’t be ignored.
“We let ourselves down on the night. It’s almost like it doesn’t matter what I say today, it’s what we do next.”
Will Carlton supporters see the team that went 22-6 in the 12 months from June 2023-24 and within three goals of a grand final, or the side that has won just two of its past 10 games?
