Carlton are staring down the “bleak” reality of just one win in their opening four games, but Gerard Whateley has implored the Blues to avoid marching coach Michael Voss “to the gallows” in April.

Voss’ tenure is in the spotlight after the club’s fade out woes of 2025 have followed the Blues into 2026 in alarming fashion.

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Carlton have folded in the second halves of all four of their 2026 games – only managing to hold on to their four-point win over Richmond despite kicking one goal after half time.

But AFL360 co-host Whateley says the club needs to focus on unity – and not “fuel” the rumours surrounding Voss’ future.

Voss sacking ‘feels inevitable’ | 01:43

“The distasteful aspect to it in some of what I’ve read and listened to there seems to be a disappointment that the club hasn’t hurried up and sacked him – this is what makes AFL distinctive,” he said on Monday night.

“We should culturally value this – we don’t march coaches to the gallows after four weeks.

“We don’t have sackings in April.

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“I think we should take a step back and be more careful about it. They’ve spent a long time setting this season up – it’s no good going into caretaker mode with 18 games to go.

“I think it would be reprehensible to do it.”

Whateley believes the Blues have been “accidentally fuelling the narrative” surrounding Voss and his future at the club in recent weeks.

“You have the president and the chief executive come out after you’ve seen two games and – you know they’re not very good – saying we’re in it to make the 10 and we’re going to win more than we lose nonsense,” Whateley said.

Blues choke 22-point lead to Roos | 01:40

“Then you’ve got the GM of footy answering questions ‘would you guarantee that he’ll coach this week?’. I mean come on! Don’t indulge that. Don’t fuel it.

“It is bad enough as it is.

“Vossy said the other day ‘I’m not giving three-day updates’ – well the rest of the damn club is! Stop it already!

“Back your guy, give him a suitable amount of time and then make your judgments when that time comes.”

Fellow AFL360 host Garry Lyon believes Voss “isn’t hiding” from the drama surrounding his team’s start to 2026.

“They are heading towards probably inevitable parting of the ways so that gets everyone in the footy world up and about,” he said.

“If you keep doing the same thing over and over and you can’t fix it, I know the players have got to take responsibility. But it comes back to Michael and he knows that – he’s not silly.

“He understands that this is a story.

Voss speaks on fumbling lead v Roos | 09:54

“I’m not leading the charge for sacking a coach… It’s not as if he’s trying to shirk the responsibility – he just can’t get the results.

“I get supporters’ frustrations … (but) that doesn’t give you the right to make a sport of killing a coach.”

Voss’ task doesn’t get any easier this week when the Blues take on Gather Round hosts Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night.

His career stats show of the 98 AFL games coached at Carlton, Voss has won 49 of those – taking the Blues to finals in two of his first three years at the helm.