The Blues will embark on yet another hunt for a leader to end their 31-year premiership drought, after Michael Voss quit as coach following a disastrous 1-8 start to the season.
Voss's decision - made just hours before last Friday night's game against Brisbane, but withheld publicly until Tuesday - comes less than 12 months after being backed to coach the Blues into the final year of his contract.
Change became inevitable after Carlton kept blowing sizeable leads this season, with their sole victory coming in scrappy fashion against last-placed Richmond.
Carlton chief executive Graham Wright has declared the club in "genuine transition", just three years after the Blues were five goals up in their first preliminary final in 23 years.
But Wright, who would not be drawn on what Carlton were looking for in their next coach, remains optimistic the Blues can turn around their fortunes swiftly.
"Carlton's one of the big clubs in Melbourne, one of the big clubs in the AFL," Wright said
"You come to Ikon Park, it's a fantastic venue, a great facility.Â
"We've got a lot of really good players, a lot of great people, so I think it'd be really attractive and a great club to come and coach."
Voss addressed Carlton players and staff on Tuesday, but didn't front the media conference with Wright, Carlton president Rob Priestley and Blues football manager Chris Davies.
The 50-year-old is expected to do a television interview later on Tuesday night instead.
Voss informed Davies on Friday he would be quitting as coach, but would still lead Carlton in the match at the Gabba later that night.
It means his last game in charge was against the Lions - a club he is a legend at - with Carlton fighting hard in the second half for a respectable 11-point loss against the dual reigning premiers.
Former Collingwood ruckman Josh Fraser has been confirmed as the club's interim coach, having re-joined the Blues' staff ahead of the 2026 season.
Voss coached Carlton 99 times after being appointed for the 2022 season, leading the club to a preliminary final in 2023 - the club's best result since 2000.
The Blues were still able to reach finals in 2024, but were eliminated in embarrassing fashion in the first week and have won just 10 of 32 matches since the start of 2025.
Carlton sit 16th on the ladder, only ahead of Richmond and Essendon on percentage, as they prepare to face the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
Voss previously coached Brisbane for five campaigns, before he was sacked at the end of 2013.
The 50-year-old spent six seasons as a Port Adelaide assistant and was appointed Carlton coach when the Blues sacked David Teague at the end of 2021.
He was targeted as a future coach, even before his playing career ended, having captained the Lions to three-straight premierships between 2001 and 2003.
One of the greatest players of the last 30 years, Voss coached 206 times across his stints with Brisbane and Carlton.
The Blues' last premiership came back in 1995, with the once-mighty club having gone through eight senior coaches - David Parkin, Wayne Brittain, Denis Pagan, Brett Ratten, Mick Malthouse, Brendon Bolton, Teague and Voss - this century.
Premiership coaches John Longmire and Adam Simpson were both flagged as potential replacements at Carlton when Voss was in trouble last year.
Simpson took on a consultancy role with the Blues this season in a bid to support Voss.
Carlton decided to back Voss into the final year of his contract, before the Blues lost key players Charlie Curnow, Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni during the trade period.
MICHAEL VOSS'S WIN-LOSS RECORD AS AN AFL COACH:
* Brisbane Lions (2009-2013): 42-1-64
* Carlton (2022-2026): 47-1-51
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