Carlton stay alive as Fremantle defeat gifts Blues finals lifeline

In one of the closest finals races in recent memory, the eighth and final place on the AFL ladder has gone right down to the wire.

Week 1 of the 2024 AFL Finals series has been locked in after an insane final day of the home and away season.

The final spots in the top eight came down to the final three games of the season, with the Western Bulldogs, Fremantle and Carlton among the teams battling for survival.

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The Bulldogs took care of business and locked in sixth place following their impressive 37-point victory over GWS in Ballarat.

That meant only the Blues and Dockers were left battling for the eighth and final spot in September in their clashes with St Kilda and Port Adelaide respectively.

Carlton looked like making the final game a moot point when they held the lead at Marvel Stadium with less than two minutes left.

Jack Higgins (centre) played an unlikely role in the September race. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

But Jack Higgins had the final say for the Saints, slotting truly from a congested forward line with 16 seconds remaining to secure an extraordinary 11.10 (76) to 11.8 (74) victory.

That took the fate of Michael Voss’ team out of its hands, with a Dockers win enough to gift them a September spot and relegate Carlton to the scrap heap.

For a side that sat six points clear of third on June 30 and enjoyed second flag favouritism behind the Swans, that would be an almighty fall from grace.

But the Blues were saved by the skin of their teeth, with Port Adelaide’s 13.9 (87) to 9.13 (67) victory at Optus Stadium breaking the hearts of the home fans and gifting Carlton another life.

The injury-hit Blues had a dreadful end to the season, losing four of their last five games and six out of eight dating back to early July to slump to the dreaded ninth place on percentage heading into Freo vs Port.

The live ladder ebbed and flowed as the Dockers and Power duked it out but at full-time, Carlton fans were rejoicing as the Dockers’ season crashed to an unceremonious end.

The Dockers had their fate in their own hands before facing Port. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Adam Kingsley and the Giants slipped from second to fourth with their defeat. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

It capped off one of the most unpredictable home and away seasons in memory and set up a mouth-watering slate of games in the first week of the finals.

Minor premiers the Swans will now host GWS in a tasty all-Sydney first qualifying final at the SCG.

There is also a big Melbourne elimination final derby that seemed highly unlikely earlier in the season, with the sixth-placed Dogs hosting a Hawthorn side that came from the clouds to seal seventh and a September berth under coach Sam Mitchell.

While last year’s premiers Collingwood finished 10th, beaten grand finalists Brisbane climbed to fifth and will host Carlton in an elimination final.

The second qualifying final will pit Port Adelaide against Geelong at Adelaide Oval.

AFL Finals Week 1

First Qualifying Final (1st vs 4th): Sydney Swans vs GWS Giants

First Elimination Final (5th vs 8th): Brisbane Lions vs Carlton

Second Elimination Final (6th vs 7th): Western Bulldogs vs Hawthorn

Second Qualifying Final (2nd vs 3rd): Port Adelaide vs Geelong

Originally published as Carlton stay alive as Fremantle defeat gifts Blues finals lifeline