Carlton booed off the MCG after horror loss to an impressive North Melbourne
On an ugly day for Carlton, Blues fans booed at half-time, three-quarter-time and on the final siren as an impressive North Melbourne caused a stunning upset.
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Carlton coach Michael Voss has refused to buy into the notion that he will be coaching for his career during the remainder of the season after the Blues suffered a shock 11-point loss to perennial battlers North Melbourne on Saturday.
A victory for the Blues, who were hot favourites heading into the match, would’ve got them to within a game of the top eight.
But the upstart Kangaroos had other ideas, blitzing the Blues with eight consecutive goals spanning the second and third quarters before running out 13.6 (84) to 10.13 (73) victors.
North’s lead got out to a game-high 46 points at three-quarter time, and their advantage was so great, that they could afford to be held scoreless in the final term.
Carlton finished the game with a wet sail, but their inefficiency up forward continued to plague them with 5.5 from 18 inside 50s as they left their run far too late. The Kangas only had five forward entries in the last quarter.
Voss now finds himself under the most pressure he has felt in his four-year reign at Princes Park with his team’s finals hopes all but dashed again.
They will probably need to win seven of their last nine games to finish in the top eight, and they face Collingwood, the Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast, Hawthorn and Fremantle (away) in their run home.
Voss hasn’t given up hope of makings the finals, but admitted Saturday’s performance didn’t help their cause.
The impending arrival of new CEO Graham Wright, who will essentially take over the reins next month, adds another layer of intrigue to Voss’ job security considering Wright overlooked Voss when he applied for Collingwood’s vacant coaching role at the end of 2021, in favour of Craig McRae.
In various high-level roles at Hawthorn and Collingwood, Wright has built a reputation as being an agent for change, and certainly isn’t afraid to make tough, bold personnel calls. Voss is contracted until the end of next season.
“It’s more about staying present to where we’re at,” Voss said.
“We’ve got five days where we’re turning into Port Adelaide ... my sight doesn’t go further than that.
“All that’s ever been here with our leadership has been tremendous support.
“So our alignment about what we need to be able to do, we’ve got work to do and right now, though, what that looks like at the end of the season (isn’t important), I’m turning about what turns up Monday and how do we need to be able to get after it.”
After a slow start, the Kangaroos’ ball use went through the roof in the second quarter, while Carlton’s remained at a horrible standard as they continued to play a static, unimaginative, predictable style.
North were far more dynamic and efficient going forward than Carlton and their pressure absolutely overwhelmed the Blues who were spanked in contested possessions (36-23) in the second period.
It all clicked for the Kangaroos, who had 14 of the last 17 inside 50s for the term, and after quarter-time, their next 10 goals came from just 22 entries at an astonishing 45 per cent.
Carlton’s ball use in their forward 50 was very ordinary again, and despite winning the inside 50s comfortably 56-42, they booted three fewer goals than North.
Harry Sheezel starred for North with 30 disposals, nine marks and a goal, Tom Powell collected 34 touches (11 contested), eight clearances and laid five tackles, while Luke Davies-Uniacke had a huge influence with his 30 disposals (16) and seven clearances. Down back, Toby Pink stood tall, keeping Charlie Curnow to just his second goalless game for the year.
The Kangaroos have now won three of their last five games after losing 99 of their previous 116.
Carlton was booed by their supporters at half-time, three-quarter time and after the final siren, but Voss said this was the time for the club to unite rather than fray.
“We’re a well-supported football club and one of the things we built this off is to ensure our connection stays strong and it’s not time to isolate, it’s time to come together and that’ll be true now and it’s true in the future and we’ll continue to reinforce that,” Voss said.
“But we share in their disappointment so no hiding from that.”
Voss was visibly furious with his team at three-quarter time and delivered them an angry speech.
“I was disappointed in the whole team,” he said.
“That’s not acceptable the way that we played through that period of time and I felt like there were some fundamental things that we want to value that we didn’t get right.”
After four years in the job, Voss admitted he would like Carlton to be more advanced in terms of the way they play, and understandably so.
The Blues played a static, unimaginative, predictable style against North and when the game was up for grabs, they were left in the wake of the far more dynamic and ferocious Kangaroos. Carlton’s forward efficiency was horrible as well.
Voss said his team was “bullied” by North and that the gap between their best and worst remained too big.
“The reality is, when you don’t have things your way, you’ve still got to find ways to be able to generate that or shut the game down for periods of time,” Voss said.
BONUS GOAL FOR NORTH
Carlton’s day was summed up early in the third quarter when, after Cam Zurhaar kicked a goal for North, Adam Cerra delivered a gut punch to Kangaroos ruckman Tristan Xerri. There wasn’t much in it, but it was enough to make the umpire pay Xerri a free kick 45m out from goal, which he converted for a rare double-goal to put North up by 40 points.
WAYWARD BLUES
Things got even worse for the Blues later in the quarter when they had three consecutive shots on goal that all went out on the full from Corey Durdin, Jaxon Binns and captain Patrick Cripps.
The unusual goals at the G continue!
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) June 21, 2025
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LARKEY POUNCES
Jacob Weitering was one of the few Blues who could hold their head high after the great job he did on Nick Larkey, but he had an inexplicable moment midway through the second quarter when Zurhaar’s snap set shot from 35m out didn’t make the distance. Weitering was tussling with Larkey on the goal line and managed to get a fist on the ball. Unfortunately for the star defender, though, he punched it back into play, allowing Larkey to collect the loose pill and snap truly from a few metres out.
Scoreboard
CARLTON 2.6, 2.7, 5.8, 10.13 (73)
NTH.MELB. 1.3, 7.5, 13.6, 13.6 (84)
RONNY LERNER’S BEST
Blues: Weitering, McGovern, Silvagni, Hewett, Acres, Docherty.
Roos: Sheezel, Powell, Davies-Uniacke, Pink, McKercher, Parker, Comben.
GOALS
Blues: McGovern 4, Fantasia 2, Williams, Acres, Fogarty, Motlop.
Roos: Zurhaar 3, Curtis 2, McKercher 2, Darling, Larkey, Xerri, Hansen Jr, Stephens, Sheezel.
INJURIES Blues: Nil. Roos: Darling (cut leg).
UMPIRES Power, O’Gorman, Howorth, Birch
56,236 at the MCG
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
RONNY LERNER’S VOTES
3 Harry Sheezel (NM)
2 Tom Powell (NM)
1 Luke Davies-Uniacke (NM)
Originally published as Carlton booed off the MCG after horror loss to an impressive North Melbourne
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