Why Carlton’s interim coach Josh Fraser won’t go for Blues’ top job

Carlton’s interim coach Josh Fraser has ruled himself out of the race for the Blues’ top job, saying he is not ready to be a full-time senior coach.

Fraser takes the reins for the first time on Saturday night against the Western Bulldogs after Michael Voss resigned this week.

The former Collingwood and Gold Coast ruckman has extensive experience as a development coach with the Suns, Carlton and Collingwood, coaching each of their state league teams, and was also at the helm of the now defunct Northern Bullants in the VFL.

He returned to Ikon Park this year as an assistant coach in charge of the forward line.

The Blues’ last interim coach David Teague won the senior role after winning six of 11 games in 2019. Fraser, though, said he will not be putting his hat in the ring.

“I’m ambitious and I want to be a senior coach at some point, I guess,” Fraser said.

“As we stand here right now, I probably don’t think I’m quite ready, but what this opportunity does give me is a chance to jump in the driver’s seat, learn a lot about myself, and hopefully at the end of it be better placed.

“I think right now I’m focused on how we collectively move this club forward. This is not my job. I’m an interim coach, but I’ve got a job to do, and that is help the club over the next 14 weeks be better placed.”

Fraser spoke of his aspirations to become a senior coach in an interview with the Dyl And Friends podcast last year.

“I’m ambitious. I believe I could do it and I think there’s a lot of capable coaches out there that could do it,” Fraser said.

“I’m also realistic around this, sometimes you need an opportunity to get in front of a club and do it. My thing has been to continue to develop myself the whole way through and if an opportunity came up to present for a job, be ready to do that.

“That’s the space I’m in at the moment. I think having coached your own side, that sets you up better than anything else to be a senior coach.”

Premiership coaches John Longmire and Adam Simpson have both said they are undecided about applying for the job at Carlton, but have not ruled themselves out.

The Blues are yet to finalise a coaching sub-committee to find Voss’ successor, but are expected to appoint an untried senior coach.

Blues chief Graham Wright signed first-timer Craig McRae at the end of 2021, having also strongly considered subsequent Greater Western Sydney coach Adam Kingsley.

Carlton have tried a wide spectrum of coaching profiles since the end of David Parkin’s successful reign in 2000. They have twice gone down the road of a premiership coach in Denis Pagan and Mick Malthouse, hired the long-time assistant in a succession plan (Wayne Brittain), appointed the interim, former player and first-timer (Brett Ratten and Teague), and the experienced candidate (Voss).

Fraser will blood his first debutant against the Dogs in Jack Ison, who will become the Blues’ first NGA player to make his senior debut at the club.