‘I don’t tend to spend a lot of time speculating on that’: Voss fobs off question on future
Michael Voss has taken aim at his own team, bemoaning a lack of intent in a dispiriting 39-point loss to St Kilda on Saturday night.
The Carlton coach also said he would ignore speculation about his future, despite the Blues having their worst start to a season since 2019.
The Blues have just one win in eight games, the latest defeat after blowing a half-time lead for the fifth time this season to lose to St Kilda by 39 points.
While Voss said the Blues’ ball movement had improved, he slammed his team for failing to take a stand defensively when the Saints booted eight third-term goals to all but secure victory.
Voss said his midfield had been “beaten” by the Saints on a night the Blues conceded eight goals to one in the third term, and had only six tackles for the quarter.
“But if you’re looking for those moments when you get pressed by an opposition, and that could be just having three clearances in a row against you, or four clearances in a row against you, and you lose some territory, we’ve just got to be better at holding up,” Voss said.
“And that’s not a back six question, that’s an intent from the whole team to get that done.
“The reality is that defensively we haven’t been strong enough this year. We’re just getting scored against too much. So there’s some fundamentals that we clearly need to be able to clean up, but we’ve got to be far more defensively stronger than what we currently are against any side. So, when a side presses, stand up, stand up. And we’re currently not doing that.”
Voss is off contract at season’s end, and faces an enormous fight to save his job.
Asked how he would handle another week under the spotlight, Voss replied: “[I] just don’t speculate. So I don’t tend to spend a lot of time speculating on that.
“I will go home, I will have a look at the game, review it, I’ll turn up on Monday. I’ll be really clear on what we need to be able to get after, and then we dive into the week, and we find those marginal things to be able to get better next week. What circles around it is not for me to speculate on – what we will do is get after what need to be able to get better at.”
The early game: Essendon fans turn on McKay
The Bombers were no match for the Lions, who put the game beyond doubt with seven goals in a row either side of half-time on their way to a 64-point victory – 22.11 (143) to 11.13 (79).
After dropping their first two games of the season, the Lions are now on a roll with five wins from their past six matches, while the Bombers are again in a rut after back-to-back drubbings.
Bombers fans vented at McKay, an Essendon fan as a child who has become a whipping boy for the long-suffering red-and-black faithful.
The defender, who crossed from North Melbourne on big dollars at the end of 2023, was given Bronx cheers in the last quarter when he took his first mark of the game.
‘What the good AFL teams do’: Lyon satisfied with St Kilda’s offence
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon was pleased with his team’s forward half work, particularly as they were missing Lian Ryan and Jack Higgins, the latter a late withdrawal because of concussion.
The Saints have now scored at least 100 points four times this year, having done so only once last year.
“Yeah, it’s nice. We’ve known our scoring capacity for a while … we feel like we’ve got a few different gears in our offence, which is what the good AFL teams do,” Lyon said.
Lyon said he hoped Max King, who strained a hamstring in the VFL on Saturday, would add to the potency up forward later in the season.
‘I don’t tend to spend a lot of time speculating on that’: Voss fobs off question on future
Michael Voss has taken aim at his own team, bemoaning a lack of intent in a dispiriting 39-point loss to St Kilda on Saturday night.
The Carlton coach also said he would ignore speculation about his future, despite the Blues having their worst start to a season since 2019.
The Blues have just one win in eight games, the latest defeat after blowing a half-time lead for the fifth time this season to lose to St Kilda by 39 points.
While Voss said the Blues’ ball movement had improved, he slammed his team for failing to take a stand defensively when the Saints booted eight third-term goals to all but secure victory.
VOTE: Any hope for the bottom four?
Silvagni feels for Blues, but remains ‘focused on St Kilda’
Jack Silvagni said it had been a “strange” week preparing to face his former club where he had been a third-generation player.
“It was a bit strange to be honest, it has been a bit of a funny week … I sort of tried not to think about it too much but I have got so many good friends still playing, so many great memories, a lot of the staff and stuff.
“I really don’t know how to feel – pumped we got the win but a bit strange,” Silvagni told Fox Footy.
Silvagni said he did not take enjoyment from watching the Blues’ troubles this season.
“I really don’t like to see it. I really wish the best for the club and the boys. I know it’s difficult but, for me, I am focused on St Kilda,” he said.
‘A little bit of talk about that’: Saints floated Carlton’s fade-outs
St Kilda ruckman Tom De Koning said Carlton’s woeful record after half-time was raised by the Saints during the main interval on Saturday night.
“A little bit of talk about that but, to be honest, more focused on ourselves,” De Koning told Fox Footy.
The Saints used this knowledge to full advantage, slamming on eight goals to turn a two-goal deficit into a five-goal buffer by the final break.
After a tumultuous departure from Ikon Park last year, De Koning said it had been a relief to get a win over his former club.
“It’s relieving, if anything. Always nervous the first time you come up against your old side, so I am just so stoked to get the win. To play a four-quarter effort like that, it was really good by the boys,” he said.
“I have got no bad blood. I knew I was going to get a few boos. But I love Carlton. I was sponsored by the cheer squad for eight years, they were so good to me, still support me now, so I still have a lot of love for the club, it was good to get the win.”
Video: Tempers flared at Marvel
St Kilda piled on the goals in the third quarter … not even this melee could stop them.
Heavy loss heaps more pressure on Voss
The jeers came thick and fast for Jack Silvagni and Tom De Koning from spurned Carlton fans, but the pair had the last laugh at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night when St Kilda strode to a 39-point win.
More pressure was heaped on Blues coach Michael Voss after a 42-point turnaround in the third term had the Blues turn a two-goal lead into a five-goal deficit by the final break, eventually conceding 12 of the final 14 goals of the night.
It was the fifth time on the six occasions this season where the Blues have lost after leading at the main break.
Fox Footy analyst David King ripped the Blues, taking particular aim at midfielders Patrick Cripps, Adam Cerra and Sam Walsh.
Cats put foot down with huge final quarter against Roos
Geelong have mauled North Melbourne with a nine-goal final quarter to rack up their 15th consecutive AFL win over the Kangaroos.
Leading by less than a goal late in the third quarter, the Cats kicked clear as Max Holmes starred and they won the Saturday twilight game 21.9 (135) to 13.8 (86) at GMHBA Stadium.
Playing off half-back and then in the midfield, Holmes was elite with 29 possessions, kicking two goals in the third quarter to help spark his team.
Despite excellent conditions, only 10 goals were scored in the first half, before the game opened up with 24 after the main break.
Harry Dean heads to the dressingroom
Harry Dean hasn’t been the same since he pushed Liam Henry in the back, and crashed to the turf himself. He has left the field for treatment.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
