By Andrew Wu and Jon Pierik
In today’s AFL Briefing, your wrap of footy news:
- 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 fans’ association has called on the AFL to bring back Saturday football on free-to-air television.
Voss at the lectern: Carlton coach’s rally cry after round one shock
Andrew Wu
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”.
Michael Voss at the lectern on Wednesday.Credit: Getty Images
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.
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 70,000 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, at the expense of Francis Evans, 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.
After a nightmare debut for the club, defender Nick Haynes has kept his spot in the 23 though the forecast for heavy rain could prompt a late change.
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?
Fans vent anger over Saturday footy broadcast deal
Jon Pierik
The AFL says fans have access to the same number of games on free-to-air TV and has pointed to the prevalence of streaming subscriptions as supporters vent their anger over the lack of free Saturday football on television.
Under the league’s new seven-year, $4.5 billion broadcast rights deal, Foxtel, through Fox Footy and streaming service Kayo, has exclusive rights to all games on a Saturday in Victoria for the first 25 weeks of the season.
There will be no footy on free-to-air TV in Victoria on Saturdays this season.Credit: Luis Ascui
This deal includes the first nine weeks of the season nationally, and the first 11 weeks in the northern markets, although Saturday matches involving non-Victorian clubs are still broadcast into their home markets on Seven and its streaming service 7plus, but on delay.
The changes have been flagged for months but were experienced for the first time in round one, sparking outrage among supporters.
“It’s hard to fathom that in season 2025 there is no free-to-air footy on Saturday in Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, and only some [free-to-air] footy in the other states,” AFL Fans’ Association president Ronnie Issko said.
“Fans are the lifeblood of footy and the largest stakeholders in the game. Removing [free-to-air] footy on Saturday and expecting fans to pay for Foxtel/Kayo is not the way to thank fans. Rather, it’s taking fans for granted. With the cost of living pressures not all fans can afford to pay for streaming services to watch the footy.”
Under the previous contract, Seven televised a live game on a Saturday night.
“Clearly, the AFL’s $4.5 billion broadcast deal has struck a nerve amongst fans. We have had numerous fans and supporters all around Australia reach out to us stating their unhappiness with not being able to see live Saturday footy on FTA,” Issko said.
“We believe that the broadcast deal is not fairly balanced and we call on [AFL CEO] Andrew Dillon to reinstate [free-to-air] footy on Saturday so that all fans and supporters can enjoy watching the best game in the world.”
Marquee games, including Anzac Day and Dreamtime at the ’G, will be shown on Seven should they fall on a Saturday. The AFL this year opted to switch the Dreamtime clash between Essendon and Richmond to a Friday night.
The AFL, and Seven, have been at pains to point out that the loss of a free-to-air game on a Saturday has been offset by the increase in the popular Thursday night primetime slot, with 23 locked in this season, up from 14 last year.
The AFL said there was a combined 10 per cent increase in ratings for last Thursday’s clash between Carlton and Richmond, compared to 2024. Friday night’s game between Hawthorn and Essendon was up 7 per cent. Foxtel and Kayo enjoyed a 20 per cent increase in viewership year-on-year through their exclusive live games last Saturday.
All games in weeks one to three of the finals will be shown live on Fox Footy and Seven, while the latter has retained exclusive rights to the grand final.
Fox Footy now has its own commentary team at all games, rather than taking the Seven feed for some.
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