May 28, 2026 — 5:34pmWest Coast premiership coach Adam Simpson will play a role in picking the next coach of Carlton as part of the subcommittee that finds Michael Voss’ successor.Simpson, who has been acting as a consultant to the Blues this year, will be on the panel with chief executive Graham Wright, football boss Chris Davies and president Rob Priestley, a senior club source confirmed.Adam Simpson will be on the panel that finds Carlton’s next coach.Getty ImagesClub great and dual Brownlow medallist Greg Williams will act as a consultant to the panel. Williams is the club’s football expert on the board and is in a paid role, part-time in the football department.The Blues are also likely to use the input of a psychologist in choosing a replacement for Voss, who parted ways with the Blues just nine games into the season. Caretaker coach Josh Fraser has ruled himself out as a candidate. Wright, as Collingwood’s head of football, presided over the appointment of premiership coach Craig McRae ahead of GWS coach Adam Kingsley and Voss.Wright had first approached Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell, whom he knew from their Hawks days together. The approach to Mitchell fast-tracked the handover from four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson at the Hawks.Simpson’s role obviously rules him out as an option to coach the Blues; it would also make him an unlikely candidate for the vacant Essendon role.He this week cast doubt on the Bombers process after James Hird declared his interest in that role. “What are they doing? It will be a one-man process at the moment. I can’t see anyone going for this job,” Simpson said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.He also said it wouldn’t “feel right” to put himself forward for the Carlton job having mentored Voss before his departure.Later, on Thursday evening, Priestley sent a letter to Carlton members confirming the panel.“Graham and Chris continue to lead the transformation of our football department, and we were clear that for this coaching process to be as effective and thorough as possible, an objective view is required,” he said.“Adam’s perspective comes from his own experience as a 10-year, premiership-winning coach, and a decorated playing career of more than 300 AFL games and two premierships with North Melbourne.“This now ensures the process to appoint our next AFL senior coach will be guided by experienced and contemporary football insights, with three of the most well-credentialed football people in the AFL industry focused on the task.“This process will be done in the same manner as we have approached other critical decisions relating to our club’s transition period – with calmness, rational thinking and a Carlton-first mindset.”Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.Jake Niall is a Walkley award-winning sports journalist and chief AFL writer for The Age.Connect via X or email.From our partners