What Carlton told a “mortified” Docherty

Sam Docherty has been given the flick from a Carlton function for comments he made last week.

The former Blues co-captain sent an audio file to good friend Dan Gorringe in the wake of the club’s capitulation which led to a 63-point defeat to the Sydney Swans.

Gorringe then played that audio - seemingly unbeknownst to Docherty - on his Dan Does Footy social accounts which caused a stir.

As a result Carlton opted to withdraw Docherty from a pre-match event ahead of Thursday night’s Round 1 clash with Richmond at the MCG, telling him they simply couldn’t allow him to be part of an official club function after making such comments.

SEN’s Sam Edmund says a “mortified” Docherty, who retired last year, won’t play any part with the Blues until the Round 6 meeting with Collingwood.

“Those comments obviously blew up on Friday, the profanity-laden take on the failing Blues,” Edmund said on SEN Breakfast.

“Obviously never intended to be aired publicly in which he said the game constantly falls to pieces outside the contest when the match opens up.

“Docherty had been booked to address a function at the MCG this Thursday night for the home game against Richmond. Not the president’s function, but another one given it’s a big game.

“Carlton rang him on Saturday and Docherty was mortified that his voice and his comments had been aired publicly. The Blues told him that they just couldn’t have him then walking into a function after that. The timing was too awkward and that it was conveyed they wanted to let it breathe for a bit and take the heat out of things.

“We saw the statement from (Blues CEO) Graham Wright on Channel 9 last night - “We made a decision based off supporting our own people internally”.

“Wright and the Blues feel Docherty is entitled to his opinion. This decision would appear to say otherwise, perhaps. But Carlton’s also entitled to take this path.

“It’s actually going to be a five-week sabbatical from any offical role for Sam Docherty at Carlton. The Blues won’t have him involved in any offical capacity again until the annual Peter Mac game against Collingwood in Round 7.

“This game raises money for cancer research. Docherty actually sits on the Peter Mac board so it’s hard to not include him, but that’s the occasion they’ve settled on.

“It’s an extraordinary development, really.”

Voss addresses Docherty comments

Carlton coach Michael Voss was asked about the Docherty comments on Tuesday morning.

He insists he hadn’t spent much time assessing what the former joint skipper said.

"I didn't give it a hell of a lot of thought," Voss said.

"Probably only just because people keep asking me about last year's best and fairest speech, and (how) culturally we defeat ourselves.

"I just felt it was an example of that. For us to have a productive conversation, I think we all need to know that we're not going to get mixed between the old and the new. We're new, and that's the way we're going forward.

"I'll move forward with the team I've got, because a lot of this stuff becomes, 'he said, she said’. I could spend a lot of time talking about that here.

“What l'd prefer to talk about is the game, and we're beginning again - that's what you do need to know.

"I don't spend a hell of a lot of time focusing on or sharing what others say about us. What I do is reinforce the behaviours we need. When things get tough, we'll stick together, so that's what we'll do."

What Simmo says

Former West Coast coach Adam Simpson, who has a minor role with Voss at the Blues, also provided his two cents on the situation.

“I know it might not have aired the way he (Docherty) would have liked it,” Simpson begun on SEN’s Whateley.

“But if that was what the locker room was like last year, it’s a good thing he’s not there now if that’s his opinion.

“It doesn’t matter how good or bad a leader you are, if you’re talking like that within the four walls it’s going to ooze out to other players.

“Then it undermines what you’re trying to do. So getting that separated was an important piece, and I suspect he wasn’t the only one with those thoughts. Those moves have been made.

“Now he (Docherty) is on the outside he can say what he wants. But it’s hard to be part of the club.

“Everyone has got a gripe. Patrick Dangerfield will have a gripe with Geelong that he’ll never speak about because there’s too much respect there. You’re not always happy.

“He (Docherty) has got every right to air his feelings but it’s hard to be part of the club when you know what they’re trying to do and the work they’ve put in. They need a little bit of support at the moment.

“The internal stuff, what’s reality and what’s now, that’s the most important thing for Vossy. Not how he handles this issue. It’s more how they respond this week.”

Amid all the distractions, the Blues will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing start when they host the Tigers at the MCG on Thursday night.