All the fallout on Carlton, Michael Voss after horror loss to Port Adelaide
After an embarrassing loss to North Melbourne last week, Carlton had to turn it around against Port Adelaide. Instead, they dished up a ‘humiliating’ performance which may be Michael Voss’ last.
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During the week Michael Voss bristled at questions regarding the effectiveness of Carlton’s game plan and whether Blues players were still buying the message.
What Carlton dished up at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night will have done nothing to stop these questions or whether Voss is the right man for next week, let alone next season.
With their season on the line and coming off an embarrassing loss to North Melbourne the week before the Blues were expected to respond.
Instead they were humiliated and Carlton fans will be baying for blood and the prospect of change at the end of the season when Graham Wright gets the reins as chief executive might not satisfy them.
For all their problems with execution and skills, the Blues have been one of the better contested and pressure teams in the competition this year, as well as the best first quarter side in 2025.
On Thursday night the Blues looked broken and without any belief in the first half.
They nearly went goalless in a first half for the first time since 2018 and could barely get near the Power.
In what was basically an elimination final in the context of their season, the Blues served up a coach-killer.
Their defensive effort was non-existent, again when they went forward they were toothless.
Captain Patrick Cripps was tagged out of it by Miles Bergman, Jacob Weitering could barely get near Mitch Georgiades with his bung ankle.
The Power defence was relatively comfortable with Charlie Curnow, who was inaccurate in front of goal, while Adam Cerra had one kick in the first half.
When he needed them to, Voss’ leaders or big guns either didn’t stand up or were just unable to as the pressure further mounted on the Blues senior coach.
He moved from the coaches box down to the bench.
He might have shown more ticker than some of those in white on Adelaide Oval, with the only real fight demonstrated by the Blues coming at halftime when they remonstrated with Dante Visentini and his Power teammates after his bump left Adam Saad concussed.
They were 46-points down and their season all but cooked by then.
Adam Saad has been subbed out following this incident with Dante Visentini.#AFLPowerBluespic.twitter.com/ukNMNwQX6S
— AFL (@AFL) June 26, 2025
Now the question will be, what does this mean for Voss?
While it was a Thursday night horror show for the Blues, Ken Hinkley could have put his feet up and taken in one of the better performances from his side this year.
For the first time since Round 4, 2023 Hinkley watched the game from the coaches box.
It meant he had excellent seats to the Power show.
Captain Connor Rozee was back in defence and the Power looked like it had the mojo it had found after its bye again.
Port sought the corridor, and found it, made the Blues defend full ground and then picked them apart on the exit.
Its first half score per inside 50 of 64 per cent was its fifth best in the last five years, its plus 30 points from turnovers its eighth best.
Power players swarmed around the footy with real intent and played with a real confidence.
So much so it seemed like they were embarrassing the Blues.
Sam Powell-Pepper, in around the ball more, was caught by Jesse Motlop after he had kicked the ball.
He just gave the Blues small forward a tap on the head, so heavy were the Power already beating Carlton.
Georgiades toyed with Jack Silvagni and Billy Wilson like a cat would with a mouse for his fourth goal. ad moments were
Key defenders Aliir Aliir, Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher all were confident enough to try and take on Carlton forwards time and time again.
The only thing that could have bothered Hinkley would have been, why haven’t the Power played like this more this year?
Originally published as All the fallout on Carlton, Michael Voss after horror loss to Port Adelaide
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