Michael Voss insists Carlton are close. The evidence suggests otherwise

April 10, 2026 — 12:36am

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Adelaide: Michael Voss insists Carlton are close. The evidence increasingly suggests otherwise.

The Blues’ now familiar pattern – a blistering opening giving way to a gradual, inevitable fade – resurfaced again on Thursday night as they fell to a high-powered Adelaide outfit to open the fourth iteration of Gather Round.

It was an improved performance, but that’s coming off a low base. Voss said after the match his team was close to clicking. But, at 1-4, time is slowly running out.

In a fixture increasingly positioned by the AFL as a showcase moment early in the season, Carlton initially played their part. They slammed home seven first-quarter goals – their most prolific opening term since midway through 2024 – and briefly hinted at a statement performance.

Instead, it became another case study in inconsistency.

From that point on, the Blues managed just five goals for the remainder of the night, their ball movement stalling as Adelaide’s pressure and method took control. A 10-minute stretch in the second term, in particular, proved decisive.

“We just couldn’t get our hands on the ball,” Voss said.

“We lost territory from........

© The Age