Carlton coach Michael Voss steps down

Carlton Football Club coach Michael Voss has stepped down after a disappointing start to the 2026 AFL season, ending his tenure with the Blues amid ongoing performance struggles and second-half collapses.

Voss, a 50-year-old former Brisbane Lions superstar, took over at Carlton ahead of the 2022 season. He guided the team to a preliminary final in 2023, and the 2024 campaign appeared strong with the club sitting second on the ladder after Round 19. However, Carlton won just one of its final six games that year, finishing eighth and exiting the finals at the hands of eventual premiers Brisbane.

Pressure mounted early in 2025 after a Round 1 loss to Richmond, where the Blues squandered a 41-point lead and fell by 13 points. Calls for Voss's dismissal grew louder, but the club board issued a statement in August endorsing him to coach through 2026.

The 2026 season brought more setbacks. Carlton suffered a 66-point turnaround against Melbourne in Round 3, leading by 43 points before losing by 23. The following week, they collapsed by four goals to North Melbourne. Scrutiny intensified over the club's handling of player Elijah Hollands during a game against Collingwood, another match...