Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News
· collected 2026-09-04 · by Michael Gleeson
This article is an analysis rather than straight reporting, focusing on the emotions and psychological aspects of the game between Geelong and Carlton in the AFL finals. According to Josh Fraser, the coach of Carlton, his team's season has come to an end despite their impressive 15-week run, and he expects them to face a lot of work ahead to improve further. The article notes that while Carlton brought back "Carlton swagger" and filled the MCG with energy, they still have significant growth areas in their game. Geelong won the final by 33 points, putting an end to Carlton's momentum after a near-four-goal lead was given up.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
There are three articles provided
Article 1
The article discusses the match between Geelong and Carlton. The headline is "Carlton's season ends in heartbreak as they fall to Geelong". The article states that Geelong won the game by a margin of 21 points, with their forward line performing well. It also mentions that Carlton's young players showed promise but struggled against Geelong's experienced team.
Article 2
The second article appears to be a list of teams' squads for the upcoming match. The teams mentioned are Fremantle, Hawthorn, Geelong, and others. The article lists each team's starting 22 players, including their backups and emergencies (EMG). It also includes any changes or updates from previous weeks.
Article 3
The third article is a standard AFL coverage update, informing readers to keep up-to-date with the latest news and analysis from around the league.
Written for “AFL Finals Update 2026” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 7 other(s) covering the same event.
As predictable as history demands it, Geelong won a final a night after Hawthorn.
asserted
Geelong → demand → Hawthorn
The Cats halted the ride of Josh Fraser’s Blues and ended what had been, according to Andrew Dillon in his pre-game speech at the AFL function, the greatest resurrection story since the Bible.
uncertain
what → halt → Bible
Had they won, Carlton fans might argue their story is better.
uncertain
story → win → ?
And so, with the loss, the story of the season (the football story, not the news story for the Swans presently seem to have that covered) comes to an end.
asserted
that → seem → end
The ride stopped.
asserted
ride → stop → ?
The wave broken.
asserted
wave → break → ?
Coming from 10th, they had to find their level at some point, and leading Geelong by 21 points midway through the second term to then be overwhelmed and outplayed in the second half to lose by 33 points is their level.
asserted
leading → come → points
Fraser cautioned at the idea that next year just picks up where this one left off, that the ride will inevitably continue and roll on into pre-season like it is “Carlton 2026: The sequel”.
asserted
it → caution → season
With the coaches’ eye for next week, Fraser preferred not to focus on how far the Blues had come in a short time this season, but how much further they still have to go.
asserted
they → prefer → time
If they have brought back Carlton swagger to fill the MCG to 96,680 and the second-biggest elimination final crowd ever, there was also a crackling Carlton restlessness about where they can get to.
asserted
they → bring → where
“Tonight was disappointing, and we certainly don’t want to be a club that lives in mediocrity ...
asserted
that → want → mediocrity
we don’t want to be a club that’s satisfied with finishing eighth,” Fraser said.
asserted
Fraser → want → ?
“We’ve made some big improvements, there’s no doubt about that, but there are still parts of our game that we need to get to work on, and there’s some individuals that need to continue to grow.
asserted
that → make → that
In fact, all of our players need to continue to grow.
asserted
all → need → players
“You know, I think there’s an expectation on the way the break looks and the way they return …
asserted
they → know → way
I just don’t think we can turn up [in the] pre-season and think that this keeps rolling on.
asserted
this → think → season
“I feel like I’ve got a really good handle on where we’re at, and understand that a lot of work is in front of us.”
asserted
lot → feel → us
Geelong played the role of spoiler when the sizeable Carlton portion of the crowd hoped they would carry on from the first quarter and a half in their role of straight man, as an enabler for the Blues rollicking ride.
asserted
they → play → ride
But what is momentum, Chris Scott asked rhetorically afterwards.
asserted
Scott → ask → ?
He wished to remind us that Carlton did not have the mortgage on momentum for his side had just won six games in a row before this game.
asserted
side → wish → game
Are you not entertained?
asserted
you → entertain → ?
In football, you reap what you sow and Fremantle have sown doubt, which is something of a foreign concept to the Cats.
asserted
which → reap → Cats
Fraser has not sown self-confidence at Carlton, for it is a club that has never lacked that trait, but he has teased it back to the surface.
asserted
he → sow → surface
For all of Carlton’s brilliance over the past 15 weeks, there is something brilliant about Geelong’s past 25 years that made the gradual grind over Carlton after giving up a near four-goal lead inevitable.
asserted
grind → be → lead
They overpowered the Blues with the assuredness of a side that does not understand that some clubs don’t play football in September.
asserted
clubs → overpower → September
The Cats play finals like the best Carlton teams used to.
asserted
teams → play → finals
Geelong now face the chastened Fremantle in Perth next week in a semi-final with Max Holmes nursing the soreness of a bloke who has rushed to be fit from an ankle injury in round 19 and had to get himself through the game.
asserted
who → face → game
Tanner Bruhn looked proppy for much of the night, and Jeremy Cameron was still short of touch after missing five games late in the season.
asserted
Cameron → look → season
Scott started Cameron, who won his second Coleman Medal just last year, at half-back.
asserted
who → start → back
We can’t say we weren’t told – Chris Scott had flagged at the end of the season that he might do it.
uncertain
he → say → it
Cameron then migrated to the wing and eventually returned forward.
asserted
Cameron → migrate → wing
Scott liked what he saw of him as a defender, but liked more what he saw of him growing into the game the longer it went on.
asserted
it → like → game
Patrick Dangerfield kicked five goals, three of which came in the last quarter as the Cats jollied away.
asserted
Cats → kick → quarter
Last September he had a great preliminary final and then struggled to back it up the next week.
asserted
he → have → it
This year, even with a flight to Perth for a semi-final and every week being a knockout final, Scott said Dangerfield felt “like he is coming good at the right time”.
asserted
he → say → time
The difference in Friday night’s game shifted not off the boot of the usual Geelong suspects, but the underrated Shaun Mannagh, who was excellent all night but especially so in the third quarter when his run and craft opened the game up as the Cats kicked six goals to two.
asserted
Cats → shift → two
The forward spent a lot more time playing midfield and continues to look like a better player the more that is asked of him.
asserted
that → spend → him
With each new step in his career, he appears get better.
asserted
he → appear → career
“I am still a forward at heart – still a forward,” he said.
asserted
he → say → heart
“[Assistant coach] James Kelly says some funny things.
asserted
Kelly → say → things
…and 13 more, not listed.
