{"id":857685,"date":"2026-08-16T20:54:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-16T20:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/857685\/"},"modified":"2026-08-16T20:54:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-16T20:54:13","slug":"afl-2026-wildcard-round-backfires-as-carlton-draw-vs-western-bulldogs-means-top-10-teams-locked-in-on-ladder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/857685\/","title":{"rendered":"AFL 2026: Wildcard round backfires as Carlton draw vs Western Bulldogs means top 10 teams locked in on ladder"},"content":{"rendered":"

The AFL\u2019s wildcard round has ensured Carlton will play post-season action this year, but the innovation may have backfired with the top 10 teams locked in before the final round of the season. <\/p>\n

Carlton and the Western Bulldogs played out a 82-82 draw on Sunday, with the two points enough to secure a spot in the wildcard round for the Blues, with St Kilda six points back in 11th place. <\/p>\n

Watch every match of every round of the AFL Premiership Season LIVE and ad-break free during play on FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.<\/a><\/p>\n

The result means next Thursday night\u2019s game between St Kilda and the Gold Coast is effectively a dead rubber. <\/p>\n

When the scores were level in the final minutes of the game against the Bulldogs, the Blues opted to retain possession instead of going for the win, to prevent conceding a point and losing the game. <\/p>\n

\u201cI was on the bench with about five to go and then with about three minutes I looked to the bench and there was a sign up \u2026 to hold onto the game,\u201d Carlton captain Patrick Cripps explained on Kayo Sports.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Bulldogs boys were like \u2018what\u2019s going on there\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously when it\u2019s a draw you want to keep attacking. But for our year it was the right decision and we found a way to get the draw.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blues midfielder George Hewett told ABC Radio: \u201cWhen we were 1-8 you wouldn\u2019t have believed this. It felt like a win. The senior boys were really good to ice the game. <\/p>\n

\u201cDeep down we knew the ladder positions and had a good idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s first time since 1977 there has been two draws in the same round after Collingwood\u2019s 92-92 draw against Hawthorn ensured the Magpies will play in the wildcard round.<\/p>\n

\"Carlton<\/p>\n

Collingwood is locked into the eighth-versus-ninth match-up and is currently set to take on the Western Bulldogs at the MCG. <\/p>\n

Carlton is set to take on the Adelaide Crows in Adelaide in the seventh-versus-tenth match-up.<\/p>\n

Those match-ups could change if Carlton beat Fremantle at Marvel Stadium next Saturday and the Bulldogs lose to Melbourne, with a potential Carlton vs Collingwood blockbuster on the cards.<\/p>\n

If the AFL had kept the traditional top eight finals format, Collingwood, Carlton and the Bulldogs would all approach their Round 24 games with a must-win approach. <\/p>\n

Collingwood coach Craig McRae celebrated his side\u2019s draw<\/a> on the MCG turf, explaining he was proud of his undermanned team, which was missing several key players against Hawthorn. <\/p>\n

The Magpies may rest several senior players including Nick Daicos<\/a> for the final round of the season, given their position on the ladder will not change if they win or lose against the Brisbane Lions on Friday. <\/p>\n

If you play them and they get injured you look silly and you sabotage a finals series on the back of a nothing game,\u201d David King said on Kayo Sports.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no way either the Daicos brothers are playing for me next week, and there\u2019s no way Darcy Cameron is. There\u2019s just no point.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Collingwood<\/p>\n

King was adamant Collingwood should not risk Daicos in a game they do not need to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they fine you $100,000 you say no worries. We\u2019ll take the $100,000. We\u2019re not risking Nick Daicos, we\u2019re just not,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter. The result (against Brisbane) is irrelevant. You don\u2019t have to sell that to the group. They know what you\u2019re doing and it\u2019s all about the week after.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not one week at a time anymore. We\u2019re planning for two weeks time, cut throat wildcard final. All decisions are for that weekend, not next weekend.<\/p>\n

\u201cNick hasn\u2019t rested. If Nick gets injured, it is over\u201d<\/p>\n

Riewoldt agreed: \u201cI\u2019m not playing Nick Daicos either. They have the blueprint to know that we may lose the battle but we can win the war. Why not rest 10?\u201d<\/p>\n

Collingwood coach Craig McRae wouldn\u2019t be drawn on whether he planned to rest several players against Brisbane.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll manage them if they need to be managed, not just for the sake of it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they\u2019re really sore and can\u2019t perform, well they won\u2019t play next week. But right now there\u2019s an energy that everyone wants to play.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery GPS tells a different story, accumulative load and things like that. We take all of that into consideration. We\u2019ll weigh that all up at match committee next week.\u201d<\/p>\n

CURRENT AFL LADDER (After Round 23)<\/p>\n

1. Fremantle (19-3, 142.5%)<\/p>\n

2. Sydney Swans (17-5, 134.5%)<\/p>\n

3. Brisbane Lions (15-7, 119.5%)<\/p>\n

4. Hawthorn (14-6-2, 117.3%)<\/p>\n

5. Melbourne (15-7, 111.2%)<\/p>\n

6. Geelong (14-8, 120.2%)<\/p>\n

7. Adelaide Crows (14-8, 115.1%)<\/p>\n

8. Collingwood (12-8-2, 106.1%)<\/p>\n

9. Western Bulldogs (12-9-1, 94.1%)<\/p>\n

10. Carlton (11-10-1, 99.6%)<\/p>\n

Originally published as AFL\u2019s wildcard round has \u2018killed\u2019 final week of season, dead rubbers to wreak havoc<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The AFL\u2019s wildcard round has ensured Carlton will play post-season action this year, but the innovation may 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