WHEN MICHAEL Voss speaks about the Carlton team being role-focused, he doesn’t have to look much further than Matthew Kennedy.

Playing every game so far for the Blues this season, Kennedy has played a little bit of everywhere. 

There’s been his customary position as an inside midfielder, as well as stints across half-back when defenders were injured in-game. He’s been sub on three occasions, and last weekend, he reprised a role he’s served intermittently throughout his time in the Navy Blue. 

Providing a marking option in attack isn’t foreign to Kennedy. He did it in 2019, and he did it in last year’s semi final win over Melbourne, and he did it again over in Perth. 

With Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay again unavailable for the clash with St Kilda, it’s likely he’ll be doing that once again come Sunday. 

“One thing ‘Vossy’ has been  really strong on from the start is the squad mentality and next man up. The way we play, we’re very role-based,” Kennedy said on SEN’s Sportsday.

“As long as when you go out there, you know your role and you want to perform it and make your teammate better, do the best for the team, get your role done, apply pressure and heat, it doesn’t matter who we roll out — we’ve got complete confidence that we’re good enough to go out and get the job done.”

Kennedy was a key contributor last weekend playing essentially as a second tall forward alongside Brodie Kemp, with the duo combining for six goals — Kemp kicking four of them.

The 27-year-old said while Kemp may have gotten the scoreboard reward, it was what he was doing not so much in front of goal, but both in the air and on the ground which drew the praise of his contemporaries during the team’s review this week.

“He obviously got the reward with his four goals, but through the review we watched the role he had on McGovern and I thought he was unbelievable in being able to bring the ball to ground.

“He applied a lot of pressure in the forward half, he laid four forward-50 tackles and was able to apply heat to bring the ball to ground, to allow the smalls to impact the game as well. 

“It was a great mindset he had going into the game, and if he goes in with that same mindset - whether he plays forward or back - I’m sure he’ll play a pivotal role for us.”

Kennedy was speaking on SEN in conjunction with Movember, with the Blue’s management Hemisphere partnering with the cause in 2024 to raise awareness for men’s mental health.

“It’s such a great cause. This year on Monday 28 October, I’ll be heading to the Royal Melbourne with some of the other AFL boys to get involved: I’m very excited for the day. I love my golf, it’s a great cause and what a great day to raise awareness.”