Carlton coach Michael Voss gives assessment of Blues' AFL finals hopes

Michael Voss has stopped short of declaring Carlton a genuine premiership threat but sees no reason his former team cannot make a deep run in the finals.

The Blues are riding a wave of momentum under Josh Fraser, who has engineered a remarkable turnaround since taking the coaching reins when Voss stepped down in May.

Fraser has won 11 of 14 matches at the helm, capped off by the come-from-behind victory over Melbourne in last week's wildcard encounter.

The staggering run has optimistic Carlton fans daring to dream of a first premiership since 1995, ahead of an elimination final against Geelong at the MCG on Friday night.

But with another three wins required in sudden-death matches just to reach the grand final, Voss said a drought-breaking flag was most likely beyond the Blues this year.

"It's very hard, isn't it? Percentages say that's a tough gig," Voss said.

"But they're certainly playing a high level of football if you look over the course of the last 10 or 11 weeks.

"They're the equal-form team of the competition, so there should be no reason that they can't look at every game and say that it's winnable."

Voss fell on his sword at Carlton after a 1-8 (win-loss record) start to the season and is determined to look forward rather than back at what might have been.

He said Fraser was "doing a great job" as coach and results showed "the right decision has been made" in appointing the former Collingwood ruck as Blues coach.

Voss lauded captain Patrick Cripps and leaders of the playing group for their efforts in turning Carlton's season around.

"One of my last messages with the leaders was: 'It's over to you and how do you make this a really player-led group?'" Voss said.

"They've clearly done that and more numbers are coming with them, so the heavy lifting isn't just on a few.

"You've got a lot of people responding and there's some pretty incredible human beings amongst that group.

"I'm just really pleased that they're getting the rewards that they've obviously been working really hard for."

Carlton has won three of its past four meetings with Geelong, with Voss noting extra attention on key Cats duo Tom Stewart and Gryan Miers had served them well.

Voss said the Blues' work in the contested areas of the game would hold them in good stead.

"Where Geelong are underestimated quite a fair bit is their contested game," he said.

"They're not so much dominant when it comes to stoppages, but they are post-stoppage.

"Carlton can do that blindfolded and they showed that again on the weekend against Melbourne.

"When the whips were cracking they really ramped that part of the game up.

"Because they match up really well against that, they actually put themselves in a really good position to win games."

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