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Full Noise by SN
What Carlton told a “mortified” Docherty
SEN • March 10th, 2026 12:47 pm
Sam Docherty has been given the flick from a Carlton function for comments he made last week.
The former Blues co-captain sent an audio file to good friend Dan Gorringe in the wake of the club’s capitulation which led to a 63-point defeat to the Sydney Swans.
Gorringe then played that audio - seemingly unbeknownst to Docherty - on his Dan Does Footy social accounts which caused a stir.
As a result Carlton opted to withdraw Docherty from a pre-match event ahead of Thursday night’s Round 1 clash with Richmond at the MCG, telling him they simply couldn’t allow him to be part of an official club function after making such comments.
SEN’s Sam Edmund says a “mortified” Docherty, who retired last year, won’t play any part with the Blues until the Round 6 meeting with Collingwood.
“Those comments obviously blew up on Friday, the profanity-laden take on the failing Blues,” Edmund said on SEN Breakfast.
“Obviously never intended to be aired publicly in which he said the game constantly falls to pieces outside the contest when the match opens up.
“Docherty had been booked to address a function at the MCG this Thursday night for the home game against Richmond. Not the president’s function, but another one given it’s a big game.
“Carlton rang him on Saturday and Docherty was mortified that his voice and his comments had been aired publicly. The Blues told him that they just couldn’t have him then walking into a function after that. The timing was too awkward and that it was conveyed they wanted to let it breathe for a bit and take the heat out of things.
“We saw the statement from (Blues CEO) Graham Wright on Channel 9 last night - “We made a decision based off supporting our own people internally”.
“Wright and the Blues feel Docherty is entitled to his opinion. This decision would appear to say otherwise, perhaps. But Carlton’s also entitled to take this path.
“It’s actually going to be a five-week sabbatical from any offical role for Sam Docherty at Carlton. The Blues won’t have him involved in any offical capacity again until the annual, Peter Mac game against Collingwood in Round 7.
“This game raises money for cancer research. Docherty actually sits on the Peter Mac board so it’s hard to not include him, but that’s the occasion they’ve settled on.
“It’s an extraordinary development, really.”
The Blues will be looking to bounce back from a disastrous start when they host the Tigers at the MCG on Thursday night.
