Carlton not rushing decision on if Michael Voss will be sacked despite horror loss to Roos

Carlton fans are calling for Michael Voss’ job after a horror loss to North Melbourne on Saturday, but the Blues’ are adamant they’ll make a calm, rational decision on the club’s future.

Carlton’s hierarchy is adamant it will make calm, rational decisions on the future of coach Michael Voss instead of sabotaging a season still alive despite the club’s disastrous form.

The Blues will take on Port Adelaide on Thursday night aware that after a season of second-half fade-outs they were capable of only a single quarter of quality football against North Melbourne.

Never before has coach Michael Voss’s future been in such peril given his inability to coax the best out of a star-studded line-up.

The future of Voss and his coaching staff is on the line given he has only a single season on his contract and his assistant coaches are all subject to meagre payout clauses.

Michael Voss’ job is under pressure after a disappointing season for Carlton. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

His senior assistant Ash Hansen is renowned as one of footy’s sharpest minds and is in contract, as are Aaron Hamill and Luke Power.

But there is an expectation that the club will turn over some of its coaching department as it attempts to change up the mix over summer.

The AFL coaches association continues to lobby for increased payouts for its assistants but the reality is many are on payout clauses of as little as three months.

Voss baked his players at three quarter time in the loss to North Melbourne, with angry Blues fans flooding talkback lines and booing the club’s players at the MCG.

Michael Voss spray vs. North Melbourne

But chief executive Brian Cook has spent his entire tenure at Carlton speaking about the club not making the emotional decisions so often seen under previous administrations.

First-year president Robert Priestley is known as a calm, analytical presence not prone to hasty decisions after a lifetime in business as the JP Morgan chairman.

He and incoming CEO Graham Wright will gather all the information they need across a full season before deciding if Voss is the solution or the problem after four full seasons.

It does not mean sacking Voss is not out of the equation, but the club will ensure it reviews and makes changes at the right time.

The club is still mathematically in the finals race despite only eight victories since round 16 last year.

Carlton’s players went back to Ikon Park after their loss to watch the Blues VFL game and spent time together on Saturday night.

There were no dawn swims or crisis meetings ahead of a review on Monday morning before a flight to Adelaide on Wednesday.

Jacob Weitering pulled up reasonably well from his ankle sprain and will know by Tuesday if he has recovered in time to take on the Power.

Blues football boss Brad Lloyd told 3AW on Sunday it was no time to panic despite the club’s poor form.

“Graham (Wright) has been with us since December. I know it’s bobbed up of late that the heat comes on the senior coach but it’s a collective. From a playing group point of view, it puts pressure on everyone across the board, not just Vossy,” he said.

“He has been working really hard with the playing group and we are not getting the results but it’s not just a Michael Voss question, it puts pressure on everyone.

“We had a good last quarter but it was way too late by then. We know North is a good building side but it was a pretty disappointing performance. A very flat feeling in the rooms and we have got to stay resilient and respond to it.

Disappointed Carlton players walk from the MCG on Saturday. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images.

“We haven’t met expectations. We should be going better than we are now. We are defending better and we are still a good contested ball side but we haven’t been able to capitalise with the ball going forward. We are not in great form but we will keep working at it.

“We have had a few bits and pieces go on, we have got a good core group that can carry us through but players and staff need to keep at it.”

Priestley made clear the club was giving Voss time to turn around the club’s fortunates when interviewed in the mid-season break.

“Vossy is in good shape,” Priestley said.

“He’s very focused on the second half of the year, there’s something on field we’re doing well and some things we need to address. So he’s focused on that with his coaching team, focusing on momentum.”

Charlie Curnow was held goalless by Toby Pink, with Richmond legend Matthew Richardson saying on Sunday he would consider trading Harry McKay.

“I think they will look at trading one of those big names out. They probably have to. You are going to get two good picks out of one of them,” he said.

“You would look at it. Who is the most tradeable out of those three with currency? Probably Harry McKay. Harry is injured as well but they have two big key forwards and I know a few clubs who would look at them. Midfielders you can always find somewhere else.”

Originally published as Carlton not rushing decision on if Michael Voss will be sacked despite horror loss to Roos