Michael Voss confident Jack Silvagni, Mitch McGovern will stay despite no deals for 2026
With finals out of the question for the Blues, focus has turned to the lack of signatures from off-contract stars including Tom De Koning, who could be headed to St Kilda, and Silvagni, who has met with at least three clubs.
Voss conceded the son of club legend Stephen had 'been busy' and speculation would continue until a deal had been done.
'We're at the end of the season, and they haven't signed yet,' Voss said.
'If you're lacking any confidence, it's probably around that, but in terms of needs and want to have them, we'd love for them to stay.
'But we're also realistic in where we sit in the season.'
McGovern, who comes off contract at the end of the season, has played 17 games this year but none following his latest hamstring injury.
The 30-year-old is no guarantee to sign a new deal, but Voss was adamant McGovern was in his future plans.
'Absolutely,' the coach said.
'While he's probably more on the back end of his career, rather than the front end, he's shown over the last couple of years that some of the concerns he had around his body, there's less of those.
'There's nothing wrong with earning your right on the way back in.
'Being one of the older players and seeing some of the younger players playing well … the only conversations I've had is that he's been excited by what he's seen, but he's also desperate to play.
'By not playing, clearly he's disappointed in not being able to do that.'
Star midfielder Sam Walsh, another who has been linked to a possible move, returns for the first time since round 13 after a foot injury and despite the potential to rest for next season, Voss said Walsh had been 'scratching at my door' to play
'It's just a great sign when you've got one of your leaders that wants to see it through and wants to get out there and be a part of it,' Voss said.
'It hasn't necessarily turned to the results we're after, but we've been energised by some of the things we're seeing on the ground, seeing some of the younger players and what they've been able to do.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
‘Not good enough': Footage exposes Nick Daicos' horror lapse
Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd has called out Nick Daicos over a costly defensive lapse on Saturday night. The Crows secured a nailbiting three-point win over Collingwood, 9.5 (59) to 8.8 (56), to clinch a top two spot on the ladder. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. But with a little over nine minutes left on the clock and the Crows holding a two-point advantage, Daicos slipped up. As both sides awaited a boundary throw in deep inside Adelaide's forward 50, Daicos moved clear of his opponent James Peatling. The 22-year-old positioned himself in clear air in front of Darcy Cameron, but it quickly went pear-shaped. The throw from the boundary umpire fell short as Cameron stuck his left boot at the ball, which trickled off the side of his boot and ended up in the hands of Peatling who was all alone. The 24-year-old midfielder collected the ball and snapped to extend the Crows' lead out to eight points. The final quarter moment was highlighted by Crows great Rory Sloane, who said Daicos failed to put a body on his rival when it was needed most. 'This was the only breakdown for the Pies the entire game and it came at a crucial time,' Sloane said on Channel 9's Sunday Footy Show. 'Your job at a D50 stoppage is to go man first, defend first and then worry about the ball. 'Nick's too far away from Peatling, who picks that ball up and kicks the snap. 'I know why Daicos did it, he's reading this play (and) it dropped short. He's thinking Cameron might take it and give the handball. 'But that was a huge error.' Lloyd doubled down and said the mistake couldn't be forgiven. 'That's not good enough. 'I'm not cutting anyone slack in that regard. You have to have body contact. 'What is Nick doing there? You must grab a player. Peatling is sitting there saying all my Christmases have come at once, there's no-one on me. 'So whether it fell short or it didn't you must be locked on D50, there should be no spare players.' The moment came after Daicos raised eyebrows earlier in the contest when he was awarded a contentious free kick. The Collingwood superstar was going toe-to-toe with Adelaide's Brodie Smith when he drew the umpire's whistle. The push and shove between the pair kicked off when Daicos planted a forceful right hand into Smith's chest only for the Crows veteran to respond with a left shove and then a right to the chest. It was Smith's final blow however that left Daicos hunched over on the turf grabbing his chest as the whistle blew to award the free kick.
News.com.au
7 hours ago
- News.com.au
Daly Cherry-Evans responds to Roosters' backflip rumours
Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans says he's handling the firestorm around his playing future 'as best as he can', conceding a finals series in his last season at the Sea Eagles is now unlikely. The Sea Eagles' 26-12 loss to the Tigers on Sunday essentially eliminates them from finals contention. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. It's a disappointing scenario for Manly, who have lost four games in a row to fall out of the eight. Cherry-Evans cut a dejected figure on the field at full time and in the Sea Eagles' post-game press conference. 'We're now hoping to make the finals which is where you don't want to be,' the Manly skipper said. 'I don't know if toll is the right word, but after the game there is a bit to process. I've got a lot of love for this place so obviously wanted to finish with a finals campaign but that's really unlikely. The realisation of that is why I looked so disappointed after the game.' Cherry-Evans was then asked by a journalist if the outside noise around his future has affected him. The star half is expected to join the Roosters next season although nothing has been made official. Given Cherry-Evans' up-and-down form, combined with the recent red-hot run of the Roosters and their halfback Sam Walker, it has led to speculation the Chooks might have a case of buyer's remorse. In addition, it was reported earlier in the week that Cherry-Evans' Roosters deal hasn't been registered by the NRL yet. 'Just to be clear so I can differentiate, I'm definitely not happy with losing four in a row,' Cherry-Evans said. 'Everything else to be honest with you, I'm doing the best I can and feeling like I can hold my head up high.' Manly coach Anthony Seibold didn't want to make excuses for what he labelled a 'massive step back'. However, he noted his team's injury crisis, with seven first choice forwards all unavailable. 'We've come off the back of a really tough month of footy where we've played three of the top four teams, which has taken a fair bit of juice out of us,' he said. 'We were entrenched in the finals so the last month has been really disappointing for us. 'We're missing some of our bigger bodies and we were beaten up the middle today. 'Seven of what we potentially thought would be first choice forwards unavailable at present, but our group today, we beat Melbourne a month ago. Same group of players. So injuries are not an excuse. 'We were way off today but we lost the battle in the middle. I can bulls**t you but that's where we lost it.'
The Advertiser
7 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Plenty of son shine as Bulldogs blast lowly Eagles
Depending on your outlook, it was either a glorious endorsement of the AFL's father-son rule, or the damning indictment of why the system needs changing. Western Bulldogs star Sam Darcy (dad Luke, 226 games) handballed to Tom Liberatore (dad Tony, 283 games), who passed to debutant Jordan Croft (dad Matthew, 186 games), who took a great mark and kicked his first goal on debut. With Rhylee West (dad Scott, 324 games) also busy in attack, the Bulldogs thrashed wooden spooners West Coast by 94 points on Sunday at Marvel Stadium. The 19.12 (126) to 4.8 (32) win left the Bulldogs eighth on the ladder and sets up a massive clash next Sunday against Fremantle at the same venue. If Gold Coast win at least one of their two games in round 24 as expected, the loser of the Bulldogs-Dockers clash will miss the finals. So the Bulldogs and Fremantle effectively start their finals series next Sunday, with coach Luke Beveridge noting they had to beat GWS this time last year to make the eight. "It (the West Coast win) is a promising day on a number of fronts ... for both clubs, (next Sunday) is a big day," Beveridge said. "It was a mixture tonight - our stoppage strength wasn't really on show, but our offence and defensive elements were pretty good." There is plenty of ongoing commentary about the father-son rule, which the AFL has decided against changing. St Kilda in particular have been vocal in saying it skews the draft too much. Under the rule, the Bulldogs had easy access to Liberatore, Darcy, West and now Croft because their fathers played at least 100 games for the club. "It's a beautiful thing. Family in footy, it's something special," Beveridge said. "It doesn't matter what I say, because people will say 'well, you're going to say that'. "I'm hoping they protect it." Much of the pre-game chat had been around how many goals Darcy would kick, and he looked ready for a day out with the first two of the game in the opening 11 minutes. But Croft then lit up the second term, first taking a great mark. His kick from 50m was marked on the goal line by teammate Aaron Naughton, who duly converted. Two minutes later the three father-sons combined for Croft's first AFL goal, with Matthew celebrating in the stands. Croft kicked another goal in the second term as the Bulldogs romped to a 56-point lead at the main break. Lachie McNeil was hurt in a third-term collision and subbed out with a hip injury. Darcy, West, Naughton and Sam Davidson all kicked three goals, while captain Marcus Bontempelli added two among his 31 disposals and 10 clearances in another best-afield performance. The season cannot end quickly enough for the last-placed Eagles. Jamie Cripps' final-term goal meant they avoided their lowest score at Marvel Stadium, by just two points. But it was their lowest score and biggest losing margin this season. "We just couldn't quite stop any of their scoring and we clearly couldn't score - pretty big parts of footy," said Eagles coach Andrew McQualter. Eagles star Liam Baker worked his backside off in defence. Young key forward Jobe Shanahan looks likely, but his finishing let him down and he kicked three behinds. Depending on your outlook, it was either a glorious endorsement of the AFL's father-son rule, or the damning indictment of why the system needs changing. Western Bulldogs star Sam Darcy (dad Luke, 226 games) handballed to Tom Liberatore (dad Tony, 283 games), who passed to debutant Jordan Croft (dad Matthew, 186 games), who took a great mark and kicked his first goal on debut. With Rhylee West (dad Scott, 324 games) also busy in attack, the Bulldogs thrashed wooden spooners West Coast by 94 points on Sunday at Marvel Stadium. The 19.12 (126) to 4.8 (32) win left the Bulldogs eighth on the ladder and sets up a massive clash next Sunday against Fremantle at the same venue. If Gold Coast win at least one of their two games in round 24 as expected, the loser of the Bulldogs-Dockers clash will miss the finals. So the Bulldogs and Fremantle effectively start their finals series next Sunday, with coach Luke Beveridge noting they had to beat GWS this time last year to make the eight. "It (the West Coast win) is a promising day on a number of fronts ... for both clubs, (next Sunday) is a big day," Beveridge said. "It was a mixture tonight - our stoppage strength wasn't really on show, but our offence and defensive elements were pretty good." There is plenty of ongoing commentary about the father-son rule, which the AFL has decided against changing. St Kilda in particular have been vocal in saying it skews the draft too much. Under the rule, the Bulldogs had easy access to Liberatore, Darcy, West and now Croft because their fathers played at least 100 games for the club. "It's a beautiful thing. Family in footy, it's something special," Beveridge said. "It doesn't matter what I say, because people will say 'well, you're going to say that'. "I'm hoping they protect it." Much of the pre-game chat had been around how many goals Darcy would kick, and he looked ready for a day out with the first two of the game in the opening 11 minutes. But Croft then lit up the second term, first taking a great mark. His kick from 50m was marked on the goal line by teammate Aaron Naughton, who duly converted. Two minutes later the three father-sons combined for Croft's first AFL goal, with Matthew celebrating in the stands. Croft kicked another goal in the second term as the Bulldogs romped to a 56-point lead at the main break. Lachie McNeil was hurt in a third-term collision and subbed out with a hip injury. Darcy, West, Naughton and Sam Davidson all kicked three goals, while captain Marcus Bontempelli added two among his 31 disposals and 10 clearances in another best-afield performance. The season cannot end quickly enough for the last-placed Eagles. Jamie Cripps' final-term goal meant they avoided their lowest score at Marvel Stadium, by just two points. But it was their lowest score and biggest losing margin this season. "We just couldn't quite stop any of their scoring and we clearly couldn't score - pretty big parts of footy," said Eagles coach Andrew McQualter. Eagles star Liam Baker worked his backside off in defence. Young key forward Jobe Shanahan looks likely, but his finishing let him down and he kicked three behinds. Depending on your outlook, it was either a glorious endorsement of the AFL's father-son rule, or the damning indictment of why the system needs changing. Western Bulldogs star Sam Darcy (dad Luke, 226 games) handballed to Tom Liberatore (dad Tony, 283 games), who passed to debutant Jordan Croft (dad Matthew, 186 games), who took a great mark and kicked his first goal on debut. With Rhylee West (dad Scott, 324 games) also busy in attack, the Bulldogs thrashed wooden spooners West Coast by 94 points on Sunday at Marvel Stadium. The 19.12 (126) to 4.8 (32) win left the Bulldogs eighth on the ladder and sets up a massive clash next Sunday against Fremantle at the same venue. If Gold Coast win at least one of their two games in round 24 as expected, the loser of the Bulldogs-Dockers clash will miss the finals. So the Bulldogs and Fremantle effectively start their finals series next Sunday, with coach Luke Beveridge noting they had to beat GWS this time last year to make the eight. "It (the West Coast win) is a promising day on a number of fronts ... for both clubs, (next Sunday) is a big day," Beveridge said. "It was a mixture tonight - our stoppage strength wasn't really on show, but our offence and defensive elements were pretty good." There is plenty of ongoing commentary about the father-son rule, which the AFL has decided against changing. St Kilda in particular have been vocal in saying it skews the draft too much. Under the rule, the Bulldogs had easy access to Liberatore, Darcy, West and now Croft because their fathers played at least 100 games for the club. "It's a beautiful thing. Family in footy, it's something special," Beveridge said. "It doesn't matter what I say, because people will say 'well, you're going to say that'. "I'm hoping they protect it." Much of the pre-game chat had been around how many goals Darcy would kick, and he looked ready for a day out with the first two of the game in the opening 11 minutes. But Croft then lit up the second term, first taking a great mark. His kick from 50m was marked on the goal line by teammate Aaron Naughton, who duly converted. Two minutes later the three father-sons combined for Croft's first AFL goal, with Matthew celebrating in the stands. Croft kicked another goal in the second term as the Bulldogs romped to a 56-point lead at the main break. Lachie McNeil was hurt in a third-term collision and subbed out with a hip injury. Darcy, West, Naughton and Sam Davidson all kicked three goals, while captain Marcus Bontempelli added two among his 31 disposals and 10 clearances in another best-afield performance. The season cannot end quickly enough for the last-placed Eagles. Jamie Cripps' final-term goal meant they avoided their lowest score at Marvel Stadium, by just two points. But it was their lowest score and biggest losing margin this season. "We just couldn't quite stop any of their scoring and we clearly couldn't score - pretty big parts of footy," said Eagles coach Andrew McQualter. Eagles star Liam Baker worked his backside off in defence. Young key forward Jobe Shanahan looks likely, but his finishing let him down and he kicked three behinds.
