Nine changes Michael Voss can make to get Carlton something out of 2025 — and save his own job

The Blues’ year is over, and their season in shambles. Where to from here? Glenn McFarlane and Jon Ralph unpack the nine changes Michael Voss can make to keep his job.

Carlton’s season is officially shot.

The Blues would have to win every game from here on in on to make a third successive finals campaign.

And a team that has won only eight contests in its last 23 games has no chance given five of those total wins came against North Melbourne and West Coast.

So what Michael Voss does from here will define his future.

Michael Voss back in Melbourne with a mountain of issues to fix. Picture: NewsWire/Ian Currie

Carlton’s powerbrokers will be desperate to see how he performs under the white-hot heat of the next two months – if he gets that far.

If the list is the problem, how does he extract maximum improvement from this motley crew?

And if the tactics are at fault, what levers can he pull to bring this game style into the modern era?

Here are the nine changes Michael Voss can make in an attempt to save his own skin.

Should Carlton let Charlie Curnow loose up the field? Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

FREE CHARLIE CURNOW

Voss was at pains to defend his star forward on Thursday night, who he said worked his butt off in between squirting opponents with water bottles and wrestling Lachie Jones while the play was still rolling.

He is set for his lowest tally of goals since his knee injury in 2021.

Carlton says he is fit, despite his horror summer.

Vossy, it’s time to set him loose.

Try him for five minutes on the wing or in defence, where he took a series of towering marks against Brisbane in 2023 to drag this team into the finals.

Find another string to his bow.

Revitalise a player who is seemingly grumpy and not especially thrilled with Carlton’s direction amid swirling trade rumours.

Patrick Cripps was underdone on Thursday night. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

STOP PLAYING INJURED PLAYERS

Patrick Cripps and Jacob Weitering gave their all playing half-fit against the Power but were embarrassed.

Weitering had a turning circle of a tank and Ken Hinkley exposed Cripps’ lack of run with an aggressive move to play Miles Bergman on him.

The Blues’ season is done. Don’t play them if they are not right, even against Collingwood on Friday night. It smacks of desperation.

FIND SOME MIDFIELD LEG SPEED

Port Adelaide looked like a modern midfield with dynamic ball use, slashing pace and electric speed.

Carlton’s midfield looked trapped in 2023 – when contest was king and daylight was second.

The script has been flipped.

It feels like Carlton’s midfield runs in quicksand.

The options of adding more speed are limited but Jesse Motlop doesn’t seem to be the answer despite some centre square opportunities.

How do the Blues use Zac Williams for the rest of the year? Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Zac Williams came to the club on nearly a million bucks a year for his midfielder pace and ball use but that trial has been completely abandoned for a player now used as a forward pocket.

Ollie Hollands needs a chance in the centre square, even if Voss will want his run off half back now Adam Saad is concussed.

HAVE CONVICTION AT SELECTION

Voss is like the little boy plugging holes in the dyke.

Marc Pittonet finally got a chance last week and was solid in the centre square but with Tom De Koning poor up forward, he went out of the side to take on the Power.

Lewis Young came in to play some ruck and forward, and he struggled. If TDK is going, Pittonet should be playing. Now!

MAKE BIG CALLS FOR THE FUTURE

If Voss is setting this club up for the future, it’s time for some difficult decisions on veterans like Sam Docherty, who has been a wonderful servant.

Is getting more eight games into pick 32 Jaxon Binns more valuable than boosting Docherty’s games tally, given he has been shaky by foot and had a couple of tough moments with Power players effortlessly breaking his tackles.

This is especially sensitive for a beloved former co-captain but it would be part of a wider effort to get a jump on 2026.

Could he help in an off-field sense next year?

Jacob Weitering and Harry Lemmey contest for the ball during pre-season. Picture: Jazz Bennett

DOES HARRY LEMMEY EXIST?

The big key forward has now played 44 VFL games and has 16 goals in the past six weeks, but he is yet to play a senior game.

He is a pack-crasher so at least would be a focal point for the Blues crumbers.

Jesse Motlop has kicked 11 goals in 15 games. Picture: Getty Images

FIND OUT WHICH OF THE SMALL FORWARDS ARE PART OF THE FUTURE

The Blues have an Eddie Betts hangover.

They lost him, got him back, and haven’t had a replacement anywhere as good since.

This year they have included Motlop, Orazio Fantasia, Will White, Corey Durdin, Lachie Fogarty, Zach Williams, Francis Evans and Elijah Hollands.

Having that many of one type of player is list clogging and the Blues aren’t yet sold on any of them.

GET THE BALL IN THE HANDS OF THE BEST BALL USERS

Adam Cerra came to the club as an elite ball user but even if his stats look fine this year, his impact has faded.

With Saad out, why not get him to half back as a Josh Daicos-style distributor.

Jordan Boyd came back into the side and at least showed his elite kicking skills.

Michael Voss must find a way to upskill his players. Picture: Getty Images

SKILL ACQUISITION

This club desperately needs to score more, having hit three figures only twice this season.

It’s resembling the Brendon Bolton days in terms of scoring.

But prioritising a more offensive game plan doesn’t work when the Butchers of Lygon Street are at play.

Voss lauded his besieged development crew on Thursday for readying two debutants in Flynn Young and Billy Wilson.

With an eight-day break how much skill acquisition can those assistants get into multiple training sessions.

Collingwood is so clean the ball never hits the ground.

If Carlton can’t get anywhere near that level of precision, it’s going to get ugly again.

Time to get to work on so many levels.

Originally published as Nine changes Michael Voss can make to get Carlton something out of 2025 — and save his own job