Game Review

Carlton's season comes to a close
Carlton's 2026 season has come to an end at the hands of Geelong. - By Cristian Filippo, Carlton Media.

Carlton's 2026 season has come to an end at the hands of Geelong. Despite a promising start, the Cats ran over the top of the Blues in the second half, seeing the Blues fall 14.23 (107) to 11.8 (74). In front of an incredible crowd of 96,680, Sam Walsh once again led the way with 29 disposals while Francis Evans fought all night against his former side. After last week’s brilliant performance, Walsh had the company of Oisin Mullin at the first bounce, as the rain started to fall at the MCG to open proceedings. Playing against his former side, a customary Francis Evans rundown tackle led to the Blues kicking the first goal of the game. It was a tense opening with both sides wasting opportunities going forward, as Carlton youngsters Jagga Smith and Billy Wilson led the way with nine disposals apiece in the first term. Adam Cerra produced an assured first term, driving the Blues forward from half-back with eight disposals at 100 per cent disposal efficiency, while going at 100 per cent disposal efficiency. Just as it looked like the Blues would take a narrow lead into the opening change, Patrick Cripps came to life, producing a sensational banana from deep inside the forward pocket. When Cooper Lord converted a set shot from the resulting clearance, Carlton had opened up a 16-point lead.

Jacob Weitering was an imposing figure behind the ball in the second term, as the Cats put the foot down and challenged the Blues. The co-vice captain repelled a host of Geelong forward entires, doing so in the absence of Harry Dean, who underwent a head injury assessment and missed the second term. Evans continued his strong work in the front half by finding Ollie Hollands, who hit the scoreboard the third consecutive week to open up what was a game-high 21-point lead. However, Geelong responded once again and found its kicking boots, converting three consecutive goals heading into half time to cut the margin to three points. The Blues’ midfield brigade was dominating around the ball, recording +10 clearances in the first half, but they failed to get bang for buck going forward, with inside 50s level. After losing the lead for the first time in the third term, the Blues were quick to respond, with Evans once again turning provider for Brodie Kemp before Ben Ainsworth found Harry McKay close to goal. However, looking to be full of run on the back of last week’s bye, the Cats surged, piling on five consecutive goals to close the term to open up a 23-point lead at the final change. When Shannon Neale kicked the opening goal of the final term, Geelong had produced 10 of the last 12 goals of the contest.

Cats end Blues' miracle season as Danger winds back the clock.
Geelong has put an end to Carlton's season, defeating the Blues in front of a massive MCG crowd. - By Gemma Bastiani.

Patrick Dangerfield's still got it. Five goals in his 32nd final in front of 96,680 fans broke the hearts of the Carlton faithful across the country, keeping Geelong's chances alive in the process. The Cats shook off an early challenge to finish 14.23 (107) to 11.8 (74) victors, playing their best footy in a wet second half at the MCG on Friday evening. A 44-point turnaround either side of the half time break put a full stop on Carlton's remarkable season. Ultimately, the fresh legs, and immense finals experience of the Cats was simply too much for the Blues' momentum to compete with. Early in the piece, Carlton's dominance around stoppage allowed it to get on top. By quarter-time it led the clearance count 11-4, growing to 24-14 by half time. There was a genuine ruthlessness about how Carlton approached every single contest. They worked to swarm the ball carrier and make their physicality known, and it unsettled the ball movement of the hardened Cats. It asked some questions of Geelong's much vaunted onball group, but it was one of the side's quiet achievers that helped shift the momentum. Shaun Mannagh's work through the midfield changed the game for the Cats. Where teammates were sloppy with the ball, or susceptible to pressure, it was Mannagh (25 disposals, six clearances, one goal) who expertly took the ball off the line to open up the ground for Geelong.

And for Carlton it was Jagga Smith's speed on attack through the middle of the ground that repeatedly caught the Cats out. Tagger Oisin Mullin was first sent to Sam Walsh – whose form last week was crucial to Carlton's wildcard win – but it didn't take long for the directive to shift to Smith (21 disposals, five score involvements) to come via the runner. Off the back of Carlton's speed on rebound, it was regularly able to find players standing alone in the forward 50, despite Geelong's desire to generate a spare behind the ball. But with rain teeming down and the Cats with the benefit of a week's rest, the Blues' heavy legs started to show in that transition game. Ollie Wiltshire was a crucial conduit up forward in his first final, Max Holmes was clean and powerful on his return despite being on managed minutes, and the young key forward pair of Shannon Neale and Jay Pollkinghorne started to find space inside 50. For much of the game, Jeremy Cameron covered the ground from the wing, trying hard to establish a mismatch and then drag his direct opponent deep inside 50. While it didn't necessarily result in scoring opportunities for Cameron, it created some worry for the Blues. Geelong's experience increasingly shone through as the game wore on. On the eve of half time the Cats were in control of the game, peppering the attacking 50, but just unable to do bulk damage, with just three goals from 11 scores across the quarter. And it was always going to be a problem for the Blues once the radar straightened up. So, a second-half return of 10 goals to Carlton's six became more indicative of that control, mounting the impressive turnaround.

Start the clock
Midway through the second term, defensive revelation Harry Dean copped from friendly fire to the face, causing him to be helped off the ground for some attention. Initially the concern was his nose – which was on the receiving end of an accidental Marc Pittonet boot – but then he was forced to the rooms to undergo a Head Injury Assessment (HIA). He passed the assessment and was deemed fine to return to the ground, but the mandatory 15-minute break hadn't been started by the AFL steward until Dean was taken into the rooms. Although the Blues' countdown clock meant he was ready to come back on late in the quarter, the AFL kept him on the bench for the remainder of the quarter to complete the required 15 minutes.

Captain Cripps
The Blues started well. But as Geelong started to find its feet late in the first quarter, thanks to a goal from captain Patrick Dangerfield, Carlton's leader Patrick Cripps went one better. Starting in the hands of Sam Walsh on the forward flank, he hit up Rising Star Jagga Smith. A kick into the 50 skimmed some Geelong fingertips, ultimately landing in Cripps' hands deep in the pocket. A recent master of the checkside around the body, Cripps calmly looked goalward and curved it through to the roar of the crowd.

Best: J. Smith, S. Walsh, P. Cripps, B. Wilson, M. Pittonet, L. Cowan.

Fraser sums up a season Like No Other
Josh Fraser sums up the elimination final loss to Geelong. - By Cristian Filippo, Carlton Media

Steps forward, but not going to settle. AFL Senior Coach Josh Fraser spoke candidly to media following Carlton's elimination final loss to Geelong, bringing an unforgettable 2026 season to a close. Speaking post-match, here's what Fraser had to say.

On how the game played out:
“They’re a quality side, most of them seasoned campaigners when it comes to finals. We started the game reasonably well but once their stoppage and contest game ramped up and they got the outside of us, it made it really difficult. As frustrating as the result ended up being, tonight gives us some really good feedback on where we need to get to. “They outplayed us, they were far too good. Inside to outside, they were more predictable than us and really challenged our system. Too often tonight, we didn’t stay connected as what we’ve been. 21 points doesn’t feel like a safe margin in footy these days: looking more at how the game was being played, there were things we were trying to do that we had some success with but not total success. It just felt like they got the next one and the momentum would shift. “A couple of things happened in the game which challenged us in different ways. It’s just feedback for where we’re at. You’re always going to get challenged by great teams when you play in finals. I didn’t think we met the challenge as well as we could have tonight.”

On the message to the playing group:
“We’ve spoken. It’s mixed emotions, we’re proud of the work we’ve put in to get to this point. That achievement in itself is something worth celebrating for our group. Then there’s the stark reality that there’s more work in front of us, which is the message I’ve given every week. “We know exactly where we’re at. Tonight was disappointing - we certainly don’t want to be a club that lives in mediocrity. It’s an acknowledgment of the work that’s been put in, the players deserve a lot of credit and so do our staff and coaching group. But we don’t want to be a club that is satisfied with finishing eighth.”

On what comes next:
“I have a handle on the character in the group, and the spirit. We’ve made some improvements, there’s no doubt about that. But there are still parts of our game we need to get to work on, there are some individuals need to grow - in fact, all of our players need to grow. I feel like I’ve got a really good handle on where we’re at and understand that a lot of work in front of us. “We need to develop and get to work on our list, we need to build depth, we need to improve players, we need to build out our system. That’s not taking away from what the players have been able to achieve over the last 15 weeks, but I’ve sat here most weeks after we’ve got results and saying we’ve got to keep getting better. I think there’s clear alignment internally over what we need to be able to do.”

On what he’s learned:
“That there is work ahead of us, and we’re not going to settle on mediocrity - we need to chase that success, and to do that, we need to get to work. There’s an expectation on the way their break looks and the way they return. There’s a lot of work we’ve got to do, and some of it might be marginal while some of it might be bigger. “We can’t turn up in pre-season and think that this keeps rolling on. We’ve got to keep looking at our game and find ways to get that better. I don’t want to be sitting here finishing the season in eighth position. There’ll be challenges we need our group to embrace and continue to embrace… and there’s no evidence they won’t, because they’ve done an outstanding job for 15 weeks.”

On the fans’ impact:
“We’ve set ourselves on a path to getting where we want to go, clearly we’re not where we need to be. There’s a lot of individual growth which has been pleasing. One of the things I carry with me is our supporters and how connected they are to how we’ve been able to play. That’s been something that’s quite special. “Our supporters have been incredible. There’s been growth on-field, there’s been growth off-field. Hopefully our fans have reconnected to our Club and a brand of football that should excite them and take us forward.”

On exit meetings this week, and an eye to the off-season:
“We’ll go through our exits throughout the week and set the wheels in motion for some planning to make sure when they return, we’re well-organised and have a clear plan on what it looks like for the playing group. We need to be really methodical and deliberate with what it looks like over the next period of time. “I’d imagine I’ll be part of that process in terms of where our list sits and where we need to grow it. I’ve dipped my toe into some of those discussions, I haven’t fully immersed myself in them because we’ve had games to focus on. That’ll be the next step for me. “I’ve referenced Chris Davies and Graham Wright recently, with their support and experience in that space. I’m as eager as anyone to make sure this Club moves forward and we build this out so we’ve got something sustainable. “Without giving a bland answer, I think it’s quite broad. We can build our midfield depth, we can build out our key position stocks, there are players on our list we want to continue to develop as well. I’m not sure if it’s one specific thing we’re chasing as opposed to considering what we’ve got, what growth and upside we have in those players and looking to add where we can. There’ll be a holistic approach to who makes us better.”

On the wildcard experience:
“I’m grateful to have that week to be able to play finals. In that sense, I enjoyed it. I haven’t thought too much about it, it was important for us that we had something to chase and gave ourselves a chance to play in a final - the experience that gave to our young players will be invaluable. “Ideally you’re not playing wildcard and you’re straight into a finals series, but it’s great experience for our group.”

On when he’ll stop to reflect:
“The competition moves quickly, maybe in the next little period of time I might be able to stop and reflect. I keep looking at where we are, where we’ve been, where we’ve got to - we just want to keep getting to work on building this. It’s been a collective. If we want to talk about the growth we’ve made, I’m a product of great assistant coaches around, we’ve got incredible staff. “The character inside our football club is really strong. I think the players deserve a lot of recognition as well. They’ve been the ones that have been at the forefront of leading that charge. I’m really proud of what we’ve done, I haven’t stopped and thought too deeply around it other than the significance of making a wildcard and then an elimination final. “It just makes me hungry to want to get better.

On one final message:
“That was part of the message was to the group, that you’re not given anything in this game. The competition will improve, so what we were able to do in the back end of the year is not going to be good enough going into next season. “We’ll make sure we’re very deliberate with how we set up parts of our summer to ensure we’re better placed. There has to be an acknowledgement that we need to get to work, that’ll look and feel a bit different to the players to maybe what it’s been.”

The players' take: Proud, but not content.
The reaction from Carlton's 2026 season coming to an end. - By Cristian Filippo, Carlton Media

Emotions were raw and mixed in the post-match of Carlton's elimination final loss to Geelong. Back in May, the Blues playing in front of nearly 97,000 people in a cut-throat final seemed a world away - but following the 33-point loss to the Cats, it was a vital lesson learned for a new-look Carlton outfit in 2026. Speaking post-match, a mix of Carlton's players spoke about not just how the Friday night clash played out, but the journey to get to that point in the season.

Patrick Cripps, Channel 7
"Proud. At the moment, you’re disappointed because I felt like we could go a long way. We found a way to make something of the year, I wish it could continue but that’s the nature of finals. It’s the last man standing and Geelong were too good. "There’s a lot of character in this group, and a lot to build on. These boys are made of the right stuff. Tonight is going to hurt, but we’ll make sure we stick together."

Sam Walsh, 3AW
"It’s a unique season, the coach changed through that time and the work we put in to put ourselves back in that position… I do think we’re a better team than that, but at the end of the day, this is where it’s landed. The ability for us to know what our identity is and how we want to play, you could see that in the back half of the year."

Jacob Weitering, Carlton Media
"There’s a fair bit of confidence in where we are as a football club now compared to where we were 12-15 weeks ago. "There’s pride, but we don’t want to sit in mid-table. We don’t want to sit in mediocrity. We don’t want to be just an average football team. We’ve played in finals in ’23 and ’24, it’s hard to get to this position. You’ve got to execute. We’ll go to work on it, there’s probably some harsh truths for individuals - we’ll all review our games and look at what we can do to get better and set a foundation for next year."

Marc Pittonet, Carlton Media
"There’s a lot of emotion. Right now, it’s a bit of shock - it didn’t feel like the season was going to end with the momentum we had, the fans behind us. It was special again. We’ve been bringing them along with us and it doesn’t feel like we’re not running out in front of them next week, it’s a bit surreal. It’s disappointment because we got harsh feedback tonight, but it’s exciting for what we can do because we know we need to get to work for six months. We’ve got a group that we think can be really damaging. "I couldn’t thank them enough. I couldn’t be prouder to be a Carlton player right now, for the support we got this year."

Francis Evans, Carlton Media
"[The message] is to not settle for mediocrity. We’ve come a long way, but we haven’t come this far just to come this far. We’ve still got a lot to work on. We’ll rest up, and then we’ll get back to work. We’re looking forward to what next year is going to hold."

In: Wade Derksen
Out: Nick Haynes (ankle)

Milestones

First Final: Wade Derksen
Last Game: Lewis Young

Interesting Facts

1. This is the first final that Carlton has played against Geelong since its premiership win in 1995.
2. This was the second largest crowd to attend a Carlton-Geelong game since 99,203 attended the Preliminary Final Replay, 1962
3. After hitting the post 4 times last week, Matt Cottrell managed to do it again with his second shot on goal.

Free Kicks

Carlton 14
Geelong 18

Umpires

Nick Foot, Jamie Broadbent, Jacob Mollison, Martin Rodger.

Front Runners

1. Gryan Miers (Geelong) 16.0 km
2. Oliver Dempsey (Geelong) 15.5 km
3. Brad Close (Geelong) 14.7 km
4. Oliver Florent 14.5 km
5. Oisin Mullin (Geelong) 14.4 km

Disposal Efficiency

1. Francis Evans 91%
1. Harry McKay 91%
1. Oliver Florent 91%
2. Adam Cerra 87%
3. Jacob Weitering 83%

Best and Fairest Votes