2h agoThu 5 Mar 2026 at 6:14amSydney vs Carlton live scoreboard
2m agoThu 5 Mar 2026 at 8:29am
Bondi shooting first responders honoured
New Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich is welcoming the first responders who were on hand at the Bondi shooting a few months ago.
The players and umpires all giving them a guard of honour of sorts.
Ahmed Al Ahmed, the hero who disarmed one of the shooters, is also out there.
“At the Sydney Swans, everybody is welcome,” says Pavlich.
His speech is followed by a moment of silence.
12m agoThu 5 Mar 2026 at 8:18am
The teams are out on the ground for their warm-ups
The two teams are out there going through their paces with the first bounce just over 10 minutes away!
Carlton heads out first in their iconic navy blue kit, before the Swans head out in their home reads.
The atmosphere is absolutely brilliant at the SCG, which is still bathed in a bit of sunshine due to daylight savings.
Some brilliant banter on the respective team banners as well.
31m agoThu 5 Mar 2026 at 8:00am
Drew’s tipping some feeling in this one
Hope the Tribunal has had some warm up sessions. It may well be needed very shortly. There’ll be feeling in this one.
– Drew
It’ll be interesting to see the reception Charlie gets from his teammates.
I know Blues fans are absolutely aggrieved over the manner in which he left, but I wonder if his old teammates feel the same.
Jacob Weitering is set to get the job on his old running mate. I wonder whether Weiters turns up the niggle tonight.
“I know what I would do, but you’re not going to do it anymore, so I can’t instruct that,” said Blues coach Michael Voss when asked how he wants his players to approach Curnow.
“Toughness is about when it’s your turn to go, you go, and that’s what we’re going to focus on, the ball, not the man.
“I’d like to think that they treat him like anyone else.”
36m agoThu 5 Mar 2026 at 7:55am
Recent history between the Swans and Blues
Here’s how the last five meetings between Sydney and Carlton have gone heading into tonight’s clash:
Round 10, 2025: Sydney 11.12 (78) def. Carlton 9.8 (62) @ SCG
Round 10, 2024: Sydney 17.15 (117) def. Carlton 9.11 (65) @ SCG
Elimination Final, 2023: Carlton 11.8 (74) def. Sydney 9.14 (68) @ MCG
Round 11, 2023: Sydney 11.11 (77) def. Carlton 6.15 (51) @ SCG
Round 10, 2022: Carlton 15.12 (102) def. Sydney 13.9 (87) @ Docklands Stadium
41m agoThu 5 Mar 2026 at 7:50am
A Dennis Cometti tribute is incoming tonight
The AFL world is in mourning heading into Opening Round after the death of commentary icon Dennis Cometti.
We’re set to have a beautiful tribute for him at half-time of tonight’s clash.
43m agoThu 5 Mar 2026 at 7:48amTeam news — No late changes for Sydney or Carlton
Both Sydney and Carlton are set to line up as originally selected tonight at the SCG.
Here’s a look at the two teams.
Sydney and Carlton’s team line-ups for the Opening Round clash at the SCG. (AFL.com.au)
46m agoThu 5 Mar 2026 at 7:45am
Carlton’s new faces for 2026
Jagga Smith has been one of Carlton’s best players during the pre-season. (Getty Images)
An incredible seven players are set to play their first matches in Carlton colours tonight.
The headline act is Jagga Smith, the No.3 pick from the 2024 draft who missed his rookie season due to a knee injury.
Smith is healthy and has absolutely torn up Carlton’s pre-season matches.
He’ll be joined by the talented Harry Dean, Carlton’s top pick in last year’s draft, who is expected to slot right into its back six.
Will Hayward, Ollie Florent and Campbell Chesser all joined during the trade period from Sydney and West Coast, respectively, while ruckman Liam Reidy joined from Fremantle.
56m agoThu 5 Mar 2026 at 7:35am
Sydney’s new faces for 2026
Jai Serong could prove to be an important pick-up for Sydney, having joined from Hawthorn over the summer. (Getty Images)
Charlie Curnow isn’t the only new face in Sydney’s line-up tonight, with two other players accompanying him.
Jai Serong will also make his debut having come over from Hawthorn in the off-season.
Malcolm Rosas Jr is also set to play his first game in Sydney colours after joining from the Suns.
Rosas will line up in Sydney’s forward line, while Serong will likely float between the Swans defence and the wing positions.
1h agoThu 5 Mar 2026 at 7:30am
Welcome!
Charlie Curnow plays his first official match for the Swans as the 2026 AFL season gets underway. (AAP Photos)
Good evening and welcome to ABC Sport’s live coverage of the AFL season!
It’s hard to believe we’re back here again folks, but here we are, the first footy blog of the 2026 home and away season.
It’s Christmas Day for every team and its fans with everyone starting level on points and seemingly the same distance from the premiership.
Of course, we know that’s not really the case.
Tonight’s clash is a fascinating one as Sydney hosts Carlton at the SCG, in a clash otherwise known as the Charlie Curnow-bowl.
After 149 games with Carlton, Curnow plays his first official game for the Swans after requesting a trade away from the Blues last summer.
Curnow is projected to be a huge needle-mover for the Swans, who missed the eight last year.
How will the Blues, who received Ollie Florent and Will Hayward in exchange for Curnow, fare without the two-time Coleman Medal winner?
The first bounce is set for 7:30pm AEDT, so strap yourselves in as we bring you all the pre-match coverage before live action gets underway.