Carlton clinched a spot in the AFL finals despite a dramatic and “heartbreaking” two-point loss to St Kilda. Needing a win to secure their top-eight position, the Blues were defeated 11.10 (76) to 11.8 (74) at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, with Jack Higgins scoring the decisive goal just 12 seconds before the final siren.
Despite the loss, Carlton’s finals hopes were saved by Port Adelaide, whose victory over Fremantle in the final game of the home-and-away season ensured Carlton’s place in the finals.
The game was intensely close, with Carlton trailing by 20 points in the third quarter but fighting back strongly in the final term. Goals from Ashton Moir and Jesse Motlop briefly put them in front, but a missed set shot by Brodie Kemp with two minutes left proved costly. Higgins’ late goal and a missed opportunity by Mattaes Phillipou kept the match in the balance until the end.
Blues coach Michael Voss reflected on the game, acknowledging the heartbreak but praising his team’s resilience and effort. Carlton’s captain, Patrick Cripps, and Sam Walsh were standout performers, but their efforts were not enough to secure the win. Blake Acres also contributed with two goals for Carlton, while St Kilda’s Mason Wood, Higgins, and Tim Membrey each scored two goals.
St Kilda, under coach Ross Lyon, finished the season in 12th place after reaching the finals the previous year. The match also saw an incident where goal umpire Steven Piperno was struck by a bottle thrown from the crowd, leading to his replacement by emergency umpire Chelsea Roffey. Despite early umpiring decisions favoring St Kilda, Carlton managed to narrow the free-kick count to a close 16-15 in favor of the Saints by the end of the game.
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