AFL expert Kane Cornes is urging Carlton to seriously look at Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir when considering Michael Voss’s replacement.

Voss’s time at Carlton officially came to an end today, and a list of candidates — involving assistants and former coaches — has immediately emerged.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Carlton’s possible coaching hunt targets

But in Longmuir, Cornes has come up with a left-field suggestion, saying the Dockers boss is the sixth best coach in the competition and gettable.

“If you want the best available coach right now, I think it’s Justin Longmuir,” Cornes said on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.

“If you’re looking and ranking who are the best coaches in the league, I’ve got him as the sixth best coach in the league right now.”

Former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley, former Swans coach John Longmire, and former West Coast coach Adam Simpson were the other names in the discussion, albeit Hinkley is considered unlikely and has been linked to the job in Tasmania.

7SPORT expert Tom Morris also suggested former Essendon coach James Hird could be an option, and Brisbane’s current footy boss, Danny Daly.

But Cornes believes Longmuir’s credentials are impressive, and also thinks Fremantle have disrespected him over his contract situation and their reluctance to offer him long-term security (he has an “ongoing employment agreement”).

“Go and at least try and get him. Try and give him a five-year deal at $6 million,” Cornes said.

“Give him the security that he needs that Fremantle have been unprepared to give him.

“He is coaching extremely well, eight (wins) in a row ... And he’s available right now and he’s the sixth best coach in the league. Go and get him.”

The highly regarded assistants in the mix are Daniel Giansiracusa, Hayden Skipworth, Brett Montgomery, Brendon Lade, James Kelly, Corey Enright, Troy Chaplin, James Rahilly and Cameron Bruce (although he’s more likely to stay in Brisbane).

However, veteran journalist Caroline Wilson believes Longmire should be Carlton’s No.1 target.

Longmire, who coached Sydney to four grand finals and a premiership in 2012, has had time away from the game and is refreshed and ready to return.

“What makes you think (Longmuir) is a better coach than John Longmire?” Wilson asked Cornes.

Cornes: “Because he’s hungry and he’s in it.”

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Wilson said Longmire “absolutely” wanted to get back into coaching but Cornes wondered how often have those types of appointments worked (the veteran coach returning to the game).

“There’s more evidence right now that Justin is up with the modern game, that he’s hungry, that he’s ready to do it,” Cornes said.

“And if security is important to him, and maybe he’s happy at Fremantle, I get it. I get it’s a long shot. I understand that. But at least try and get him if you want a known product that you think, or you know, can do the job right now ... and walk into it.”

Wilson said: “(Longmire) was refreshed. He’s reinvigorated. And he wants to coach again. And I would be amazed if they don’t go well down the John Longmire path.”

Longmire’s last game as coach was the 2024 grand final, which ended in disaster for his Sydney team.

The Lions belted them by 10 goals in an embarrassing day that was eerily similar to the 2022 grand final where they were also humiliated, this time by Geelong.

In November, after the 20024 decider, Longmire shocked the football world when he resigned.

Tom Morris on Carlton’s possible coaching candidates

James Kelly: “People really enjoy his work.”

Corey Enright: “He’s the coach-in-waiting (at St Kilda).”

Hayden Skipworth: “Hasn’t been far away from jobs before.”

Daniel Giansiracusa: “Moved to Hawthorn specifically to be considered for (head coach) jobs.”

Brett Montgomery: “Hasn’t been far away before.”

Cameron Bruce: “More likely to stay in Brisbane.”

James Rahilly, Troy Chaplin: “Highly regarded.”

Michael Voss defiant about time at Carlton

Michael Voss has struck a defiant tone after leaving Carlton, insistent the AFL club is in better shape then when he started as coach.

While Voss said there was no animosity with the Blues and he is at peace with the decision to resign in his fifth season, he admitted to great frustration that the wins did not come.

Voss resigned on the back of an eight-game losing streak, with Josh Fraser to take over as interim coach.

Carlton’s hierarchy said on Tuesday they remained an attractive destination and a big club in the AFL, even after moving on a fifth full-time coach in 14 years.

“I guarantee you, it’s a better place than when I walked in. It’s like comparing silos with alignment - they’re just two different things, no accountability to full accountability,” Voss said.

“That’s just a completely different place - sub-standard training standards to elite training standards.

“The frustration thing within all that is that the actual end-up measure we like to tick over is the ‘W’ - we haven’t been able to transfer that enough.”

In his first interview since the news broke on Tuesday morning, Voss told the AFL website he knew last week his time had come.

He spoke with manager Peter Blucher on Friday, before last Friday’s match against his old club Brisbane at the Gabba.

Pre-game, Voss then met with Blues football boss and long-time colleague Chris Davies.

But a dinner with president Rob Priestley and chief executive Graham Wright a few days earlier reminded Voss of his plight.

“You read in these situations is often what they don’t say, not what they do say. I read enough into what they didn’t say to know that it was on shaky ground,” Voss said

“The inevitable was starting to become clearer, but the fighter in you and the competitor in you wants to take that as far as you possibly can.

“There’s no animosity here, there’s no anger. I’m at peace with the decision.”

In a wide-ranging interview, Voss took aim at former Carlton captain Sam Docherty for public criticism earlier this season.

“He just should know better, about what it’s like to be that person inside the building,” Voss said.

“I just thought that would be more an insightful conversation, rather than just join the masses.”

While the Blues are mired at the bottom of the ladder with a 1-8 record, Voss is upbeat about their prospects.

“The playing group is in a great place right now - maybe, does this give them a little bit of space, give them a bit of freedom?” he said.

His departure means the Blues will embark on yet another hunt for a coach to end their 31-year premiership drought.

Voss’s decision comes less than 12 months after being backed to coach the Blues into the final year of his contract.

Wright declared the club was in “genuine transition”, just three years after the Blues were five goals up in their first preliminary final in 23 years.

But he would not be drawn on what Carlton were looking for in their next coach, 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

“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, 50, addressed Carlton players and staff on Tuesday, but didn’t front the media conference with Wright, Priestley and Davies.

Hs 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.

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 made the 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.

He spent six seasons as a Port Adelaide assistant and was appointed Carlton coach when the Blues sacked David Teague at the end of 2021.

The 1996 joint Brownlow Medallist was targeted as a future coach, even before his playing career ended, having captained the Lions to their 2001-03 premiership threepeat.

One of the greatest players of the last 30 years, Voss coached 206 games across Brisbane and Carlton.

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

- With AAP