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.
Geelong ends Carlton's fairytale season as five-goal Patrick Dangerfield turns clock back
Geelong has ended Carlton's fairytale season with a solid win, after withstanding an early challenge to run away with their elimination final.
asserted
Geelong → end → final
In the first finals meeting of the two teams since the 1995 grand final, Carlton got the early jump but could not keep control, as Geelong secured the win by 33 points on a rainy night at the MCG.
uncertain
Geelong → get → MCG
Geelong skipper Patrick Dangerfield led the way with five goals in his 378th AFL game.
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Dangerfield → lead → game
The loss ended Carlton's season after a monumental run of 12 wins and a draw out of 16 games to get to the elimination final under new permanent coach Josh Fraser.
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loss → end → Fraser
Geelong will travel to Perth to face Fremantle next week in a cut-throat semifinal.
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Geelong → travel → semifinal
Look back at how the action unfolded in the live blog below.
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action → look → blog
Geelong vs Carlton scoreboard
New: Filters
Choose what information you see below by using filters
That's it for the blog tonight
We'll leave it there!
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We → choose → it
Two finals down this weekend with two more to go, and the blog will be back tomorrow for both Sydney-Brisbane and Adelaide-Western Bulldogs.
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blog → go → Brisbane
I hope yo can join us then.
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yo → hope → us
For now, the night belongs to Geelong.
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night → belong → Geelong
Chris Scott is up now
A bit here from the Geelong coach:
"I thought we were outplayed early in the game.
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we → think → game
We knew there would be periods where they would have the ascendency, their form has been red hot.
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form → know → ascendency
I know there were a lot of rushed behinds, but there were a lot of scoring shots too.
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I → know → shots
I thought we were dominant after quarter-time.
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we → think → time
"It was really challenging when we lost [Max Holmes], but it was also really challenging to make the decision to play him tonight.
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it → lose → him
But we had so much faith in the people that worked with him."
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that → have → him
Josh Fraser has been speaking to media
A few bits and pieces here from the Carlton coach:
"We started the game reasonably well, but once their stoppage game and contest stepped up we found it really difficult.
"
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it → speak → game
Tonight was disappointing, and we certainly don't want to be a club that lives in mediocrity.
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that → want → mediocrity
The players deserve a lot of credit, so do the staff and coaching group, but we don't want to be a club that is satisfied with finishing eighth.
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that → deserve → credit
"We were outplayed, they were far too good.
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they → outplay → ?
"I feel like I've got a really good handle on where we're at and understand we have a lot of work in front of us.
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we → feel → us
We need to build depth, improve our players and build our system.
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We → need → system
Match report: Cats kick clear to end Blues' stunning AFL season
Geelong have ended Carlton's dream run, kicking clear in the second half to win their AFL elimination final by 33 points.
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Geelong → kick → points
Trailing by 21 points in the second term on Friday night, the Cats reduced the margin to three points at the main break and kicked 10 goals to six after halftime for the 14.23 (107) to 11.8 (74).
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Cats → trail → 11.8
The Cats will head to Perth next week and play Fremantle in next week's semi-finals.
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Cats → head → finals
Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield kicked five goals in the wet conditions, including three in the final quarter.
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Dangerfield → kick → quarter
Midfielder Shaun Mannagh continued his strong form with 25 possessions and six clearances.
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Mannagh → continue → possessions
Under new coach Josh Fraser, Carlton turned around their disastrous 1-9 start to the season with a stunning run of 12 wins, two losses and a draw before Friday night's season-ending loss.
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Carlton → turn → loss
Patrick Dangerfield's night out
Let's go through the statline, shall we?
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we → go → statline
And keep in mind Danger played exclusively forward tonight, no midfield time at all.
21 disposals.
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Danger → keep → disposals
Now there was a little bit of junk time in that, but it's also true that Dangerfield looked Geelong's most dangerous forward all night.
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Dangerfield → be → that
He got his rewards in the last for a night of massive effort.
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He → get → effort
Patrick Cripps reflects on Carlton's night and incredible season
Really does feel like just the beginning for the Blues.
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reflects → reflect → Blues
Patrick Cripps I'm sure agrees.
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I → agree → ?
Patrick Dangerfield reflects on a standout night
It wasn't perfect, he says, but it was still mighty impressive.
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it → reflect → night
And as the man himself says, Patrick Dangerfield has still got it.
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Dangerfield → say → it
Geelong was challenged, Geelong was threatened, but Geelong never blinked.
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Geelong → challenge → ?
The Cats weathered the early Carlton storm and then flexed their muscle in the second half to highlight the difference between a side on the rise and a battle-hardened group of challengers.
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Cats → weather → challengers
Patrick Dangerfield will take the headlines for his five goals, but I thought the big differnce makers were those classy Geelong half-forwards and lesser-light midfielders.
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makers → take → goals
Carlton showed glimpses of the footy that has carried them from the depths of despair to September, but they ran into a powerful unit and in the end ran out of legs.
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they → show → legs
…and 41 more, not listed.
