Live: Cats face red-hot Blues in blockbuster MCG elimination final

Outstanding tackling pressure from Evans there, having two pops at Mannagh and nailing him with the second one to win the holding the ball free.

From 45 out, Evans made no mistake. First blood Carlton.

Acres won the free kick about 25 out, directly in front, but badly shanked the set shot. Blues are settling well here, biting off aggressive targets and now actually sticking some.

Just need to hit the scoreboard with it.

Ball has mostly live in Geelong’s front half as the Blues have struggle to get it out of defence. A few early Carlton fumbles as the temperature rises.

Rain is falling at the MCG. We’re five minutes into the first term with no goals.

They reckon we’re on for about 94,000 at the ‘G tonight, which is quite something. The Blues played and prevailed in front of a huge crowd last week, so the atmosphere will feel familiar to them. And pretty much nothing is new for these Cats.

We’re not far away from the bounce now, formalities to come before we have lift off.

They’re playing the LA Rams at the MCG next Friday for reasons that will no doubt make more sense to others than it does to I, but I’m sure they’ll be impressed by what they see tonight.

This game ruled, and might have been the moment Carlton began to truly believe they were capable of special things in 2026.

Back in round 12 Carlton captain Patrick Cripps was the hero of the night, taking a soaring pack mark and converting at the death to deliver the Blues a stunning four-point win. That night we began to see the very best of the Cripps-Walsh-Smith combo, which has since carried the Blues all the way to September.

You can bet Chris Scott has gone to school on that game though, the mastercoach unlikely to be surprised twice. If tonight’s game is as good as that one, we’re in for a treat.

Pack your suitcases boys, because the winners of this game are heading west.

Well beaten by Hawthorn last night, Fremantle awaits for either Geelong or Carlton in a semifinal, likely to be played next Friday night.

From there, the next hypothetical step would be a preliminary final against Sydney or Brisbane. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves here.

The Cats finished fifth at the end of the home and away season on the back of a solid if unspectacular campaign. Normally you can lock Chris Scott’s Geelong in for a top four spot pretty routinely, but they finished a game outside the double chance this time out.

Still, reinforced by some returning stars, internally they will believe they are still in a fine spot to attack a premiership. If finals experience counts for anything (and it most certainly does), Geelong are among the best placed sides this year.

Blues fans meanwhile spent the first half of the season looking over the draft crop and and dreaming of better days ahead. Few would have believed how close those better days could be.

Michael Voss was sacked, Josh Fraser stepped in and the Blues went stratospheric. Suddenly this young, hungry and thrilling side was swatting aside all comers and making the impossible suddenly feel inevitable.

They qualified for wildcard weekend, where they promptly knocked Melbourne out. Next up Geelong for a side that now fears absolutely nobody.