After a controversial refereeing decision allowed the Blues to go ahead with a five-point win over Essendon, interim Carlton coach Josh Fraser is resisting any temptation to act and declare himself a candidate for the vacant Blues coaching position.
Instead, the 44-year-old said he hoped to return to Mansfield safely to gather his thoughts following the Blues’ 2026 tour that saw Michael Voss step down as manager and Fraser become interim after round nine. They have recorded four straight wins under Fraser and are within striking distance of the top 10.
Asked again on Channel 7 after the match about whether he would consider throwing his hat into the ring, Fraser played the ball straight back down the pitch, although the response was a little less amusing than usual.
“That’s a big assumption and my answer right now would be no,” Fraser said.
Anyone who knows Fraser understands that he is not one to spend a lot of time on theory, and he proved that after the match when he said he hadn’t thought too much about the fact that he had won his first four games as interim coach.
“I said when this opportunity came up that we’re going to be running really fast around what Monday through Friday looks like and then give ourselves a chance to perform on the weekend,” he said.
“We have seen great growth but we are aware that we have a long way to go. I have not looked too far ahead. I have not stopped thinking about the lessons we can develop.”
This time around, Carlton started as favorites after falling foul in their first three clashes under Fraser. They seemed to feel the pressure falling 23 points behind Essendon who are also benefiting from the freedom that comes after a change of coach.
The Blues were struggling in goal at the break with Fraser urging the goalkeepers to correct their starting positions and increase their edge around the ball as he stressed the need to be more accurate when entering the front 50.
“Thanks to the players, we challenged them at half-time,” Fraser said.
In a hopeful sign for the interim coach, the team hit back with champion midfielder Patrick Cripps leading the way while George Hewett, who has been in fine form since returning in Voss’s last game as coach, cleared Bombers midfielder Sam Durham after a first-half challenge.
Carlton kicked six of seven goals each side in the third quarter as they cleaned up their forwards and went over the top of Essendon. The Bombers fought to get back within five points with nine seconds left but couldn’t find the clearance they needed to give them a chance to clinch the win. Their cause was helped when the referee allowed Harry McKay to run 42 seconds off the clock after taking a marker 60 meters from goal. He pretended to shoot a set shot and then hit the ball forward. “I was trying to take as long as I could. We practice a lot of those end-of-game situations and any time you can get five or 10 seconds (off the clock) it’s like gold. Maybe it was a bit of an expectation to have a shot from 75 meters out,” McKay said.
Fraser said the results had lifted spirits but did not change the mood of what lay ahead.
“Obviously winning (raises morale) but there’s a process associated with that as well. I’d like to think we’re not changing the results at the moment. There’s a focus on how we play and especially being able to win (in) different ways,” Fraser said.
Not only has the result given Carlton a top-10 puncher, it has made the job look more attractive than it did a month ago when Voss left.
The Blues have started coffee dates as CEO Graham Wright and football boss Chris Davies go through potential candidates for 2027.
At the same time the president of The Bombers Andrew Welsh said before the match they will not be rushed to find a new coach despite the campaign. pushing James Hird to fill that position. There were supporters at the MCG holding placards calling for liberation as they sought to convince the board to appoint Hird for next season.
Interim coach Dean Solomon said he was encouraged by their performance despite failing to qualify for their second win of the season.
He played Zach Merrett behind the ball in an effort to set up a long drive but Merrett’s kick was off and he repeatedly turned the ball over in dangerous positions. Nate Caddy also had a frustrating night up front as his teammates failed to respect his leadership.
Solomon said his goal is to develop their game plan to bring balance and balance to the fight and defense of their team.
“I felt we went a little safe with the ball in hand. We want to be more of a half-forward type team instead of a time in possession type team,” Solomon said. “We want to be strong in passing the ball and have a good balance in how we do that. We’re working hard on our team defense and making sure we’re behind the ball.”
The Bombers will welcome back Jordan Ridley after finishing VFL action on Sunday for their clash against Melbourne, the only team they have beaten in the last 12 months.
