"Hollow joy": Voss speaks following Carlton backing

Carlton coach Michael Voss has spoken out for the first time since the Blues’ board opted to honour his contract into 2026.

On Wednesday night, Carlton’s board met to discuss the future of the club, with the five-hour discussion concluding that Voss will remain in charge of the club.

The following afternoon, the club confirmed that they will put their faith in Voss despite what has been a below-par season, citing that the board unanimously backed Voss to continue to lead the club into the future.

Speaking in a presser ahead of Round 22, Voss stated that although the backing is reassuring, the joy is overshadowed by the task ahead.

“It sort of feels like a little bit of hollow joy in some ways,” Voss said on Friday.

“There’s no contentment in how we’ve found ourselves here, and how it’s played out, or feeling like there’s a contentment in being able to get that reassurance that you get to see out your contract.

“But there’s also gratitude and a privilege to be able to continue to lead this football club, and to be able to have that sense of direction. To be able to attack not just these last three weeks but what next season looks like.

“The next thing we have in front of us is another game, and what it does enable us to be able to do is, at the right time, be able to still think about ‘how do we progress this thing, and how do we improve from where we are’, because obviously, clearly we want to be better.”

While the Blues put their faith in Voss, the extended coaching panel remains under cloud, as SEN regular Tom Morris suggests that new CEO Graham Wright will inform the remaining coaches of their future with the club within the coming week.

Carlton currently sits in 13th place, winning just seven of their 20 games in 2025.

They face the Gold Coast Suns at Marvel Stadium this Saturday night.