Former Carlton coach Michael Voss has revealed he knew the Brisbane game would be his last and is confident the winds of change are coming for the Blues.

Voss resigned as coach on Tuesday morning after a disastrous start to the 2026 season, with just one win from nine games, bringing his Carlton reign to an end after 99 games.

With his side having suffered repeat second-half fade-outs, he said he felt his position was untenable after their loss to St Kilda, where they conceded 11 goals, while only kicking two themselves two after half-time.

After meeting with long-time friend and manager Peter Blucher before their clash with Brisbane Voss said he knew it would be his final game win or lose.

“Last week was the first time where I sat with the result the week before ... and I felt like it was time to have those conversations,” he told AFL.com.au.

“That conversation (with Blucher) was important because I didn’t want the result (against the Lions) to be the emotional or acute response to change my mind.

“I was hoping for a ‘Miracle on Grass’ II ... I was looking for another one. If we had won under those circumstances - and it’s all hypothetical - you could get swept up in that emotion and hang around a bit longer. But I didn’t want that game to do that.”

“I knew that apart from dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s, that this was going to be my last game. It was my last game, but not everyone knew.”

Carlton captain Patrick Cripps said he was still processing Voss’ exit but praised Voss for having handled the heat this season.

“I was shocked, it’s early in the year and I think everyone that’s watched footy this year in terms of the attention around him and the way he’s handled himself,” he said.

“I just couldn’t speak highly enough of a person, who, through a lot of adversity, showed up so well as a leader for us as players.

“I didn’t think it was going to happen like this, shocked is one way (to describe it). I am just trying to absorb it all, I suppose.”

The West Australian also recommitted to leading the club despite talk he could finish his career back in his home state.

“Mate, I am contracted until next year. Like I said before, I am really committed in terms of this season,” Cripps said.

“I am not going to just wave the white flag and waste a year, there’s a lot of footy to be played this year.

“That never gets lost on me and especially for this footy club, I am going to lead it the same way I’ve been doing it for the last six to eight years.

“Wear the jumper with pride and keep going for it.”

Voss said it was hard breaking the news to his players, but said he had no regrets.

“I’ve had a few days to think about it, you get the final pieces of the puzzle. But there’s one thing knowing it, and there’s another thing saying it,” he said.

“Talking to those people is tough, when you’ve had four or five years working so closely together. It’s all about people for me, and always has been.

“I’ve been really privileged to coach this football club. There’s no animosity here, there’s no anger. I’m at peace with the decision.”

He also took a shot at Blues champion Sam Docherty over his explosive criticism of their opening round loss to Sydney which he described as an “absolute f***ing sh**show.”

“What I’d say in Doc’s instance is he just should know better what it’s like to be that person inside the building. I thought that would have been a more insightful conversation rather than joining the masses,” he said.

“Whatever Sam does next is completely up to him. But that’s the kind of energy we need to shift.”

However, Voss suggested the change at the Blues will not stop with his departure, acknowledging the playing group needed to evolve to cope with the modern AFL.

“I think you’ve got to acknowledge that there are just those winds of change and that to bring us into more of a contemporary group with the way we played, it requires personnel change.”

“I felt there was enough there to be able to make us more than competitive throughout this year. I didn’t know where that was going to take us, other than let’s ride the journey and see how far it takes us.

“We’ve had some moments that could’ve gone either way. We’ve had some sliding door moments that could’ve fallen one way or the other and I don’t think one of those have actually fallen our way.”

MICHAEL VOSS’S WIN-LOSS RECORD AS AN AFL COACH:

* Brisbane Lions (2009-2013): 42-1-64

* Carlton (2022-2026): 47-1-51