In the unsettled aftermath of a difficult season, Carlton coach Michael Voss stood firm at the podium, insisting that Charlie Curnow — twice a Coleman medallist and the club's most luminous forward — would not be traded despite the player's reported openness to a fresh start elsewhere. The declaration came as Carlton absorbed the departures of Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni, and faced the quiet reckoning that follows a year of injury, surgery, and a finish outside the top eight. It is the oldest tension in team sport: the gap between a club's need and a player's longing, mediated by contract,
Voss holds firm on Curnow despite star forward's trade interest
He's got four years to run on a contract. We feel like he's incredibly important to us.
Mark
So Voss is drawing a line in the sand on Curnow. What's the actual leverage here—can Carlton really stop him from leaving if he pushes hard enough?
Mimi
They have a contract that runs through 2029. That's real leverage. But contracts in the AFL are complicated—if a player genuinely wants out and makes enough noise, clubs often negotiate rather than hold someone hostage. Voss is saying they won't, but we don't know what happens if Curnow keeps pushing.
Luke
Right. And notice Voss said Curnow is "open" to a move, not demanding one. That's a careful distinction. It suggests the club's reading of the situation is that Curnow hasn't made an ultimatum yet—he's exploring. That's different from De Koning, who clearly wanted out and got it.
Mark
Why would Curnow even want to leave? He's a two-time Coleman medallist at a big club.
Mimi
Three surgeries in one year. That's the thing. When you're injured that much, you start questioning whether the environment is helping you heal, whether the club's medical setup is right for you, whether you want to spend your peak years fighting your body instead of playing.
Luke
But we don't actually know that's his reasoning. Voss said "we've had a tough year," which could mean anything—the team's performance, the culture, personal stuff. The reporting says Curnow told the club he wanted a fresh start, but we don't have his actual words or his actual reasons.
Mark
So what does Voss's stubbornness actually accomplish here?
Mimi
It sets a public tone. It tells other clubs not to bother calling. It tells Curnow the club values him. But it also might back him into a corner—if he keeps pushing and the club keeps refusing, that relationship deteriorates fast.
Luke
And Carlton is already losing De Koning and Silvagni. If Curnow walks too, that's three major departures in one off-season. That's a list in crisis, not a list being managed.
Mark
Is there any chance Voss actually holds him?
Mimi
Absolutely. A lot depends on whether Curnow's hesitation is real or whether he's genuinely committed to leaving. If it's the former, a good off-season—some wins, some new faces, some stability—might change his mind. If it's the latter, no amount of public firmness stops it.
Luke
The honest answer is we don't know enough yet. We know Curnow expressed interest in leaving. We know Voss says no. Everything else is speculation until one of them moves.
Il Polso
- Charlie Curnow, Carlton's two-time Coleman medallist, reportedly told the club he is open to leaving — a signal that landed like a thunderclap during an already turbulent trade period.
- Three surgeries in a single season have visibly worn on the 28-year-old, and his wavering comes as Carlton simultaneously loses Tom De Koning to St Kilda and Jack Silvagni to free agency.
- Coach Michael Voss is drawing a hard line, insisting the club will not field trade offers and expects Curnow to honour his contract through 2029 — but the firmness of the stance only underscores how precarious the situation feels.
- Carlton finished 11th this season, and with multiple list holes opening at once, the Blues are scrambling to recruit aggressively — targeting Jack Petruccelle and Sam Flanders — while simultaneously managing an exodus of key talent.
- Contracted player Elijah Hollands has been asked to seek a trade after repeated off-field concerns, adding another layer of instability to a list that urgently needs consolidation rather than further disruption.
In the unsettled aftermath of a difficult season, Carlton coach Michael Voss stood firm at the podium, insisting that Charlie Curnow — twice a Coleman medallist and the club's most luminous forward — would not be traded despite the player's reported openness to a fresh start elsewhere. The declaration came as Carlton absorbed the departures of Tom De Koning and Jack Silvagni, and faced the quiet reckoning that follows a year of injury, surgery, and a finish outside the top eight. It is the oldest tension in team sport: the gap between a club's need and a player's longing, mediated by contract, loyalty, and the slow work of rebuilding trust.
Michael Voss stepped up to the microphone on Monday with a single message he needed the world to hear clearly: Charlie Curnow is not going anywhere. Despite reports that the star forward had expressed openness to a fresh start during his exit meeting, the Carlton coach was unequivocal — the club would not entertain trade offers and expected Curnow to see out his contract through 2029.
The declaration carries weight because of what surrounds it. Curnow's 2025 season was defined by three separate surgeries and the kind of accumulated physical and psychological toll that makes a player question everything. Voss acknowledged the difficulty without dwelling on it, noting that the year had been hard on everyone at the club. But he was careful to frame Curnow's position as openness rather than demand — a distinction that felt meaningful to the coach, even if it appeared thin to outside observers.
The broader context makes Curnow's situation more urgent. Tom De Koning has already signed an eight-year deal with St Kilda, a loss Voss called tough to accept. Jack Silvagni has signalled his intention to leave as a free agent. Carlton, which finished 11th after two consecutive finals campaigns, is haemorrhaging talent at precisely the wrong moment.
Voss was nonetheless resolute about Curnow's value and his place in the club's future. "He's a two-time Coleman medallist, could've been three," the coach said. "He's got four years to run on a contract. We feel like he's an incredibly important person to us."
Beyond Curnow, Voss confirmed that contracted player Elijah Hollands had been asked to seek a trade following repeated off-field concerns — a decision he said was absolutely connected to those issues. With significant gaps across the list, the Blues plan to move aggressively in the recruitment market, with interest in delisted West Coast speedster Jack Petruccelle and Gold Coast utility Sam Flanders. The task ahead is considerable: rebuild the list, fill the holes, and somehow persuade one of the competition's finest forwards that his future still belongs in Carlton blue.
Michael Voss arrived at the microphone on Monday with a message he wanted to be unmistakable: Charlie Curnow is staying at Carlton. The Blues' coach spoke with the kind of firmness that comes from having to repeat yourself, insisting that despite reports of the star forward requesting a fresh start during his exit meeting, the club would not field trade offers and expected Curnow to remain through the end of his contract in 2029.
Curnow, a 28-year-old two-time Coleman medallist, has become the biggest name circulating through the October trade period. The forward's interest in leaving comes after a brutal 2025 season marked by three separate surgeries and the kind of injury setbacks that wear on a player's confidence and body alike. When Voss was pressed on why Curnow might be considering a move, the coach acknowledged the weight of the year without dwelling on specifics. "We've had a tough year and he's had a challenging year," Voss said. "If you look at the year he's had, we could sort of wash over it pretty quick and just look at what happened towards the end." He noted the surgeries, the accumulated toll, and suggested that everyone at the club had felt the strain.
What makes Curnow's situation particularly acute for Carlton is the company he's keeping in the exit line. Tom De Koning, the ruck-forward, has already signed an eight-year deal with St Kilda—a departure Voss described as "a tough one to accept," even as he acknowledged De Koning's right to pursue it. Jack Silvagni, another key player, has also indicated his intention to leave as a free agent. The Blues are hemorrhaging talent at a moment when they can least afford it, having finished 11th this season after two consecutive finals campaigns.
Voss framed Curnow's position differently from De Koning's and Silvagni's, suggesting the forward was "open" to a move rather than demanding one. But the distinction felt thin. The coach was adamant that Carlton's position would not shift: Curnow would be a Blue in 2026, and the club would not entertain calls from interested suitors. "He's a two-time Coleman medallist, could've been three," Voss said. "He's got four years to run on a contract. We feel like he's an incredibly important person to us and so he'll figure for us moving forward."
The challenge for Voss extends beyond holding onto Curnow. The club has also asked contracted player Elijah Hollands to seek a trade, a decision Voss confirmed was "absolutely" tied to repeated off-field concerns. Hollands took personal leave twice during the season and ended up playing in the VFL, a clear signal that Carlton had exhausted its patience. With multiple holes opening across the list, Voss signaled the club would be "aggressive as we can be" in the recruitment market, eyeing moves for delisted West Coast speedster Jack Petruccelle and Gold Coast utility Sam Flanders. The Blues need goal-kickers, ball-carriers, and depth across several positions—all while trying to convince one of the competition's best forwards that his future lies in Carlton blue.
Citazioni salienti
Our position is pretty clear—he'll be at Carlton in 2026. He's a two-time Coleman medallist, could've been three. He's got four years to run on a contract.— Michael Voss, Carlton coach
We've had a tough year and he's had a challenging year. He's obviously had three surgeries over the course of this year—it's just been a tough year.— Michael Voss, on Curnow's reasons for considering a move
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