Carlton and Michael Voss are quickly reaching a crossroads and it has nothing to do with Elijah Hollands
The furore surrounding the Elijah Hollands situation at Carlton this week has taken the spotlight, but underneath that, the truth remains that the club is at a crossroads.
And at the centre of that, is a looming decision the Blues will have to make on the future of coach Michael Voss.
Hollands' mental health episode, the club's handling of it and subsequent concerns for his wellbeing have naturally been the focus this week, as they should be.
READ MORE: Troubled star in tears as AFL return confirmed after 600 days
READ MORE: After 200 days at the top of the table, Arsenal face cruel fate
READ MORE: Coach muzzled as $750k star's career 'hangs by a thread'
Carlton coach Michael Voss with Elijah Hollands after the loss to Collingwood. AFL Photos via Getty Images
But putting all of that to one side, Carlton blew another lead on Thursday night against Collingwood, falling apart for 15 minutes and costing themselves yet another game.
It was another match they controlled at half time, and even at three quarter time, but a seven goal Magpie burst flipped the result in the final term.
Carlton fans once again had to watch Nick Daicos and Jamie Elliott tear them apart when it mattered most.
The club has only beaten its arch rival once in the Voss era and has now lost five in a row to the Pies.
And they haven't just been run-of-the-mill losses. In 2022, Collingwood came from behind to beat Carlton in the final round of the season, booting them from the top eight on the final day of the season. In 2024, Mitch McGovern missed a shot after the siren that would have won the game for the Blues; eerily similar to Byrne's miss last Thursday.
The loss to Collingwood exposed both Carlton's key issues this season. They give up huge runs of goals, with zero ability to halt that momentum, and they struggle to score after half time.
The Blues rank as the third best first quarter team in the competition. They've won five of six with a differential of +74 (points scored versus points conceded). From there, it falls off a cliff.
Carlton captain Patrick Cripps and coach Michael Voss after the loss to Collingwood. Getty
In second quarters, they're 3-3 at -10. Third quarters 2-4 at -68 and then the wheels simply fall off in the final term; 1-5 and -121.
This has been a consistent pattern across the last 24 months, dating back to the club's capitulation across the second half of the 2024 season.
Former captain Sam Docherty's now-infamous leaked rant on the club still rings in the ears as a completely reasonable summation of these issues.
And all of this ties back to Voss and whether he has the ability to solve them. So far, he hasn't been able to.
Voss is the only coach in the AFL out of contract at the end of this season. Whether it's fair or not to focus on him, Carlton will have to make a decision on whether to recommit to him at some point in 2026.
He has been at the helm for five years of what can only be described as a rollercoaster ride.
Carlton coach Michael Voss speaking at his press conference. Carlton
The reality is, the Blues haven't looked like a top eight side since the middle of the 2024 season. What was supposed to be the culmination of a 10-year rebuild has fizzled out.
They've blown leads against Sydney, Melbourne, North Melbourne and Collingwood already this season. Richmond's inaccuracy is the only reason they didn't also run Carlton over.
In that round one game, Tom Lynch kicked 2.7. If not for his off night, the Blues are winless and 18th on the ladder right now.
They are about to enter a significantly tougher period of their fixture, taking on Fremantle (away), St Kilda, Brisbane (away), Western Bulldogs, Port Adelaide (away), Geelong and Essendon before their next bye.
They will certainly enter all of those games as the underdogs, until maybe round 13 against the Bombers.
But unless they're able to cause a couple of upsets, this season will be well and truly over and heading towards a bottom four finish.
That leads to one inevitability for the club and Voss; a parting of ways and a fresh start.
They head to Perth on Anzac Day for one of the toughest fixtures on the calendar against the Dockers.
Carlton will be without Harry McKay, Marc Pittonet and Hollands for the clash and their depth is set for a serious test against a genuine top four contender.
