Carlton has tried just about every formation to land a successful senior coach, except one.
The Blues have looked at the "Messiah"-type coach, the favourite son, the interim, the left-field and the second-chance coach.
All have failed, resulting in seven coaches coming and going since the beginning of 2003.
But should a deliberate succession plan, similar to Paul Roos and Simon Goodwin, be a genuine consideration?
I think so.
Pagan (2003-2007) and Malthouse (2013-2015), the two premiership winning coaches, were rushed in given their availability and status in the game as some of the all-time greats. Both suffered losing records in the navy blue.
Sandwiched between them was the favourite son, Brett Ratten (2007-2012), who dominated as a player for Carlton during its golden years in the 1990s. He was also a captain of the club, and ironically registered a winning record, but was moved on to fit in Malthouse.
The shock decision, among others, set the Ikon Park club back.
Once the Malthouse experiment failed miserably, interim coach John Barker (2015) was given a 14-game lead in, identical to Josh Fraser who has replaced Michael Voss for the remainder of the 2026 season.
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Barker didn't impress the powers at be, who instead appointing the left-field option, and accomplished assistant Brendon Bolton (2016-2019).
Bolton never raised the club higher than 14th on the ladder, and managed to secure a wooden spoon in 2018, even with the expansion clubs still in their infancy.
Understandably, he was moved on during 2019, with yet another caretaker, David Teague, receiving his opportunity to occupy the hotseat.
In stark contrast to Barker's time as Carlton senior coach, Teague showed tremendous improvement, winning six of the last 11 games of the year, and earning his right as the next head coach.
The Blues were buoyed by the exciting play and emerging youth, headed by Patrick Cripps, but as COVID-19 hit the world, the failures of Teague hit harder. He was gone by the end of 2021, winning 21 games out of 50.
Leading to the Voss appointment. After a scratchy start as Brisbane coach, who followed the model of Ratten as the returning favourite son, Voss was eager to turn it around, and for the most part, he did.
But a tumultuous 18 months since the 2024 finals series, culminating in off-field issues, on-field second-half fadeouts, immense player and staff turnover couple with extreme pressure and scrutiny, the mountain was too difficult to climb.
This leads me to my next point. What should Carlton do?
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They've almost tried every combination, but there's still an avenue the Blues should consider. And there's merit given the availability of some seasoned coaches as well as some motivated assistants in the competition.
The succession plan. A deliberate strategy that would see a veteran coach, someone along the likes of Adam Simpson, John Longmire or Ken Hinkley, paired up with a well-credentialed up-and-comer such as Hayden Skipworth, Daniel Giansiracusa or Corey Enright.
It is the perfect play.
Melbourne perfected the transition when welcoming back Roos into the AFL landscape after departing Sydney at the end of 2010.
A premiership coach, who returned for three seasons, righting every possible wrong, before handed it over to a contemporary, someone who built relationships with the players from the ground up.
Roos copped the flack for the Demons' poor performance, ultimately shielding Goodwin, as they finished with four and seven wins in consecutive seasons, before jumping to 11th with 10 victories in 2016.
Goodwin was then given license and patience to make the team his own, and with trust and belief, turned the cellar-dwelling former AFL powerhouse into a premiership threat, ultimately ending a 62-year flag drought in 2021.
In 2013, when Neil Craig left after filling in for the sacked Mark Neeld, Melbourne found themselves in a spot of bother. That spot is eerily similar to the one Carlton is in.
Exciting draftees, strong leaders and the allure of a big club in the country's biggest competition. The Blues actually might have a leg-up in all three areas.
But the next decision is crucial.
CEO Graham Wright said the club won't rush into any decision. President Rob Priestley insisted the Blues won't take shortcuts.
The pair also said they will convene to start piecing together a three-year plan.
I think extend that to a five-year plan, which includes the succession plan between a senior coach and an untried contemporary.
