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FIFA World Cup 2026 poster“Don’t give me that bulls***”: Thomas' criticism of Carlton players
Jaiden Sciberras • June 3rd, 2026 4:16 pm
Since taking over as Carlton interim, Josh Fraser has enhanced his reputation as a potential senior coaching candidate.
And despite removing himself from contention for the full-time role, former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas believes that Fraser is as ready as any candidate in the mix for the job.
With three wins from his three games in charge, Fraser has shot the Blues back into relevancy, mending their late game fadeouts and coaching full four-quarter performances that the club has been crying out for.
An incredible four-point win against the in-form Cats on Friday night marked a serious turning point for Carlton’s season, propelling the side to just two games out of the Wildcard places.
Amid their turn of form, many of the players have been sure to credit the recently departed Michael Voss, alluding to the foundations he built at the club and the guilt that they feel towards the poor results leading to his demise.
However, Grant Thomas believes that their ode to the former coach is far from the sentiment they believe it to be.
“I’ve heard a couple of players say that they feel guilty and all of that sort of stuff,” Thomas told SEN Breakfast.
“I don’t want your guilt; I want your effort. Don’t give me that bullshit after the fact.
“You see it all the time – teams get a lift after a coach leaves. Is it the weights being taken off? Is it, ‘Thank god he is gone’? Or ‘Now this is serious, I need to play for my future’?
“I think a bit of leadership kicks in when they say, ‘we need to galvanise and do something about this’. Why do they do it after the fact? Why haven’t they done it prior to?”
While the performances of the Blues’ top dogs have improved tenfold since Voss’ departure, Thomas believes the credit doesn’t lie within the players but is instead owed in its totality to Fraser.
“I think Carlton – I don’t rate their list that highly. I’ve been really surprised by their performance,” he continued.
“I give all of the credit and plaudits to Josh Fraser, because as soon as I heard him say ‘I’m not ready and I don’t think I’ll be applying for this job’, I thought, mate, you are more ready than most coaches I know.
“For you to admit that - that meant more to me than anything else. That guy should have been coaching this club before he even started.
“Just hearing him say that, and the way he has conducted himself since is the perfect indication to me that he knows really what it is about.
“I don’t know whether you can point to strategy and tactics, or attitude and effort with Carlton, but to me, it’s been underpinned by attitude and effort.”
Wins against the Bulldogs, Port Adelaide and now Geelong, Fraser and the Blues enter a favourable five-week stretch, with Essendon and GWS surrounding their Round 14 bye, followed by West Coast and Richmond.
A positive result in three of their next four would see the Blues well and truly back in contention for September football, with the Wildcard positions presenting as a real possibility.
This week, the Bombers await at the MCG on Sunday night.
