Footy can shift dramatically. One moment, a team leads by seven goals at the MCG. The next, they’re facing a barrage from opponents like Kozzy Pickett. One moment, players step into training under the spotlight of microphones, apologizing for yet another disappointing performance and coaching change. Then, in a heartbeat, they are gathered together, with a teammate joyfully playing the club song on a harmonica.
Last weekend, Carlton should have secured a more significant victory over the GWS Giants. They managed only one goal from 18 entries inside 50 in the first quarter, missing numerous opportunities while also facing unfavorable officiating. Yet, this was the type of match they would have typically lost just two months prior.
The Giants are capable of scoring rapidly, favoring a fast-paced game. Under former coach Michael Voss, it’s likely the Blues would have succumbed to this style.
What has changed for Carlton? Even during Voss’s challenging tenure, glimpses of a promising team were evident. The Blues demonstrated pressure, competitive spirit, and energy, but when confronted by adversaries, they often faltered.
Several moments in the game highlighted a significant transformation. One notable instance occurred late in the third quarter when the Blues’ four-goal advantage had diminished, leveling the score. The four kicks leading to Sam Walsh’s goal after the siren were perfectly executed low 25-meter kicks to teammates creating space. Just two months earlier, those would have been poorly executed shots, and Walsh would have struggled with the set shot.
As GWS continued to apply pressure in the final quarter, the sequence leading to Matt Cottrell’s second goal illustrated the team’s newfound fluency and cohesion. Carlton displayed a remarkable ability to transition the ball smoothly from one end to the other. In his tenth game, Billy Wilson took on the kick-in responsibilities and delivered a long kick to neutral territory. Talor Byrne seized the bouncing ball, and in a matter of seconds, they adeptly navigated their options, overcoming a lackluster Giants defense.
Coach Adam Kingsley projects a calm demeanor in press conferences, akin to a reiki practitioner, yet he can be quite forceful in team gatherings. He pushed them hard at three-quarter time, but the players responded by securing a convincing 12.16 (88) to 9.11 (65) win against the Giants.
Interim coach Josh Fraser’s approach mirrors Voss’s in several respects. Walsh appears fitter, Patrick Cripps plays with more freedom, the younger players have matured, and George Hewett and Blake Acres are now contributing effectively. The focus remains on contest and defense, with Fraser emphasizing connection and effort. He talks like a caretaker coach, aiming to strengthen the team for the next permanent coach.
Nonetheless, there are evident differences. Whenever GWS threatened, Carlton successfully managed to control the tempo for several minutes. In earlier matches this season, they would have lost their composure entirely. Under Fraser, they seem more capable of reaching a heightened emotional state that was absent under Voss. A burden has been lifted, transforming a season that could have drifted aimlessly into one filled with renewed purpose.
It is tempting to conclude that Voss was the sole issue and that Fraser is some kind of coaching prodigy. However, the reality is often more complex. Voss frequently referenced the stonecutter’s philosophy, the idea of persistent effort even when results aren’t immediately visible. He believed that the breakthrough would eventually come. Unfortunately, for him, that moment arrived too late, as he departed midway through a match where he had already mentally checked out.
Since returning from vacation, Voss has taken up a role with Fox Footy. When asked if he would consider a return to coaching, he simply replied, “No.”
Carlton now faces a challenging decision. The Blues have triumphed in all five games under Fraser, yet he insists he does not aspire to be a senior coach. The club has historically sought external figures to rescue them — Pagan, Judd, Malthouse, Voss, and Wright. Fraser does not embody the archetype of a savior; he lacks the dramatic flair of James Hird, who famously auditioned for a coaching role live on television, or Dean Solomon, the current front-runner for the Essendon job, who has failed to secure any wins as an interim coach.
Fraser does not appear to be marketing himself or staking a claim for anything. His focus is on winning games, and while he may not be a savior, he is proving to be an effective caretaker.
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