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“Vossy, he certainly led the way with those conversations. Some of them were tough, I didn’t like some of them, but they were true. You have got to praise his leadership and the way he has gone about it.”

Voss, the three-time Brisbane premiership captain, said the Blues had remained resolute.

He conceded he was riddled with doubt when the Blues slipped to 15th place with a miserable 4-8-1 record, but that the way everyone at the club responded to that adversity was vital to where they are now.

“There were some tough days, and a lot of really tough conversations,” he said.

“There were tough conversations from the leaders to the players, and among us as coaches about what clarity we needed to be able to provide the players and what we were going to value moving forward.

“This movement doesn’t happen on the back of just the players – this comes on the back of a football club, and there were plenty of those moments through there that could have gone a different way, but we didn’t. We stuck together. I think that says a lot about our club now.”

The only blight on a banner night for Carlton was a right hamstring setback for midfielder Adam Cerra, who was outstanding with 20 disposals, nine contested possessions and six clearances in less than a half before being subbed out.

Cerra also missed last week’s win over West Coast with a hamstring issue, but Voss could not confirm whether the latest injury was related to the other. The Blues will have a clearer picture early in the week.

Voss also dismissed suggestions the Blues’ forward line was better without injured Coleman medallist Harry McKay, pointing out their midfield performed well without Sam Walsh (hamstring) but that he, too, remained a valued player. The Blues say he will miss at least another week. Jack Silvagni (knee) is a week-to-week proposition.

It was an unfamiliar feeling for Magpies coach Craig McRae, whose side tasted defeat for just the third time all season, and he said they had to find a way to “get better”.

“Clearly, they’ve been playing great. They’re in great form, and they’ve turned their game around in certain parts, and their pressure’s high, and they’re defending well,” McRae said.

“I think credit to what Michael’s done, and I’m really happy for him – I’m just not that happy tonight ... we’re in the business of getting better. This is a marathon, and you have to just keep improving.

“We’ve had a great season to date, but it’s not finished. There’s still so much work to do. There are lessons along the way ... and tonight’s an example of it, but it’s not just tonight. You can’t stand still in this game because teams take things away from you really quickly, so we’re going to have to improve.”

The Magpies face Hawthorn at the MCG next Saturday.

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