Port Adelaide's Dan Houston sent straight to Tribunal over Rankine hit, after wins for Blues, Hawks, Bulldogs (2024)

So, that late breaking Tribunal news will no doubt dominate the headlines in the coming week.

But on the field today, three Victorian teams each took a big step towards clinching finals football for 2024.

We will be back next weekend to bring you the final round of home and away action — and in particular, make sure you have your device on you on Sunday, as Western Bulldogs vs GWS is followed by Carlton vs St Kilda, wrapping up with Fremantle vs Port Adelaide.

Who knows where we'll be after those three games?

For now, I'm Andrew McGarry, thanking you for joining us on the blog, and I wish you a very good evening!

So what do we know?

We almost know the eight, but not quite.

The Bulldogs have one foot in the finals, after their thumping win against North Melbourne.

Hawthorn should lock things up with a win over the Kangaroos next week.

It basically comes down to whether the Bulldogs can beat GWS and the Blues can beat St Kilda.

If they can that will be that. If one of them can't, a win for Fremantle over Port Adelaide in the west will see the Dockers sneak in.

Patrick Cripps became Captain Courageous as the star midfielder helped Carlton overcome their horror injury toll to produce a 65-point win over West Coast in Perth.

The Eagles kicked the first two goals of Sunday's match through Jake Waterman, but Carlton piled on 13 of the next 14 majors to set up the 14.15 (99) to 4.10 (34) win in front of 48,455 fans at Perth Stadium.

Cripps was crucial in the result, tallying 21 disposals and four clearances in the first half, before finishing with 35 possessions and 10 clearances.

Defender Brodie Kemp, who had kicked just two goals in his career, starred as a makeshift forward with a game-high four goals.

The victory lifted Carlton (13-9) above Fremantle into eighth spot, meaning the Blues' finals destiny is now back in their own hands.

A win over St Kilda at Docklands next Sunday will guarantee Carlton finals action for a second straight season.

But the win over West Coast came at a cost, with Corey Durdin dislocating his left shoulder in the third term, and Zac Williams suffering either a cramp or a hamstring strain late.

Carlton had entered the match in ninth spot and missing last week's casualties Charlie Curnow (ankle), Harry McKay (quad), Jack Martin (hamstring), Adam Saad (hamstring), Lachie Fogarty (collarbone) and Jordan Boyd (adductor).

With Tom De Koning (foot/lung), Adam Cerra (hamstring), Orazio Fantasia (calf) and Matt Cottrell (shoulder) also on the sidelines, Carlton were forced to rush in debutants Ashton Moir and Cooper Lord as well as second-gamer Jaxon Binns as part of their inclusions.

It meant West Coast, who were aiming for their third straight win, started the game as favourites.

But the midfield heroics of Cripps and George Hewett (35 disposals), combined with Kemp's unexpected haul in attack, ensured Carlton controlled the contest for almost the game.

And Moir made sure his debut was a memorable one when he volleyed through a goal in the final quarter after coming on as the sub.

Retiring West Coast wingman Andrew Gaff tallied 25 disposals in his 280th and final AFL match, while Harley Reid and Elliot Yeo combined for 15 clearances.

Gaff was given a guard of honour from both sides at the end of the game.

Waterman's hot start to the match would have left Carlton fans feeling nervous, but the Blues dominated the rest of the first half with six unanswered goals to take a 31-point lead into the long break.

Cripps was involved in everything, with his power at the stoppages proving crucial as Carlton adapted well to the swirling breeze.

The Eagles were their own worst enemies, turning the ball over time and again in dangerous situations.

West Coast failed to turn things around in the second half, with Carlton's confidence continuing to grow on the way to the much-needed victory.

AAP

Well it took till the last hour of round 23, but the AFL has released it's update from the Match Review, and Port Adelaide's Dan Houston has been sent straight to the Tribunal for his bump on Adelaide's Izak Rankine in last night's Showdown.

The Adelaide star was taken from the field on a stretcher after he was knocked out by Houston as he was waiting to take a mark in the third quarter at Adelaide Oval.

The Match Review has graded it careless conduct, severe impact and high contact.

By going direct to the Tribunal, the AFL will be asking for three-plus matches. If they ask for more, it could be the end of the season for Houston, who has signalled he wants to move to Victoria for next season.

This last quarter has pretty much been a procession aside from a couple of moments for the Eagles.

Patrick Cripps led the way as an injury-depleted Blues outfit smashed West Coast.

That's a vital four points and a big boost to percentage.

For the Eagles, this is a season winding down, and they need a reset.

Not to be outdone by teammate Jaxon Binns, debutant Ashton Moir has been looking likely up forward since coming on as sub.

Now he is the latest beneficiary of Patrick Cripps' big game.

The skipper got his foot to the ball just outside the goalsquare, kicking it into the middle, where Moir was on hand to flick the ball home on the volley with the inside of his left boot.

His teammates come from everywhere!

The Blues are dominant, and they go forward with second-gamer Jaxon Binns getting the ball in the right forward pocket, and he drills it! Then signals excitedly to the crowd.

Patrick Cripps has just carried the Blues today.

He just set up an attack that should have led to a goal from debutant Ashton Moir, who dragged his kick wide on debut.

But with a solid majority of the final quarter to go, Cripps stats count reads:

33 disposals — 20 contested — eight inside 50s, 10 clearances including four centre clearances and 11 score involvements.

A commentator just called a disposal saying "Patarick Cripps, three votes" and you can't really disagree right now.

The Eagles are pretty much playing for pride here, but that was a positive start.

They swept forward and Oscar Allen took a mark 40 out in the right forward pocket in the opening minute.

But he drags the kick wide! Oh dear.

A potentially season-ending collarbone injury to Hawthorn's star midfielder Will Day has soured a 63-point win over Richmond that took the rampaging Hawks a step closer to AFL finals.

A breathtaking nine-goal first quarter set the Hawks on their way, and despite Richmond steadying, Sam Mitchell's charges leapt into seventh with a 19.17 (131) to 10.8 (68) win in front of 58,231 fans at the MCG.

Claiming a first finals berth in six years is in Hawthorn's hands, given they play 17th-placed North Melbourne in Launceston next Saturday.

Hawthorn (52 points) sit behind fourth-placed Geelong (56), Brisbane (54) and the Western Bulldogs (54) and ahead of Fremantle (50), with Carlton (48 points) playing later on Sunday.

But victory came at a cost, with Day helped off the ground grabbing at his right collarbone, then hospitalised, after colliding with teammate Jai Newcombe when they attacked the same ball in the first quarter.

The classy midfielder's absence would be a devastating blow, given his crucial role in turning Hawthorn's year around.

Hawthorn won just one of their first six games while Day, 23, was sidelined with a foot injury at the start of the season, then went 11-4 with him in the 15 games before Sunday.

In Day's absence, Newcombe (33 disposals, nine clearances) and James Worpel (29 disposals, two goals) shone, while Jack Scrimshaw and Karl Amon were typically classy.

Scrimshaw's day finished early with a finger injury. Jack Gunston (five goals), Calsher Dear and Nick Watson (three goals apiece) led Hawthorn's attack.

Tiger forwards Shai Bolton (three goals), Noah Balta and Rhyan Mansell (two goals apiece) were lively, while Nick Vlastuin and Jayden Short set the tone.

Jack Graham could come under scrutiny for catching Cameron Mackenzie high and late with an attempted spoil in the second term.

Last-placed Richmond finish their season against Gold Coast at the MCG next Saturday.

AAP

The Eagles had late chance after Liam Ryan's intercept led to a Harley Reid mark inside 50 in front.

But the young gun's kick for goal was decidedly less-than, and so the quarter ends with Carlton winning the term 5.3 to 1.3.

Everything is going the Blues way right now.

They are competing for everything, and a chip/lob kick goes high to a contest and despite being outnumbered, Matthew Owies takes the mark.

Now they go again, bursting out of the middle through Patrick Cripps again. It goes forward and over the back for Jesse Motlop to scramble it home. The lead is out to 55 points.

The Blues have lifted a gear and the Eagles have not.

Brodie Kemp has kicked his third, and the visitors are looking to finish this in the third quarter.

There are eight minutes left on the clock, and it's a 43-point game.

The Eagles can't let their energy drop here.

Carlton went forward, and while the Eagles were calling for a free, Matthew Owies kicked a ragged snap that bounced through from 35m out.

Carlton are back out to a 35-point lead.

Well Patrick Cripps has just reintroduced himself to the West Coast defence, charging on to a ball running around and then drilling a kick to Zac Williams near the goalsquare.

Williams marks and kicks the goal, restoring the margin.

Well we don't know what interim coach Jarrad Schofield said at half-time, but the Eagles have come out fired up!

Harley Reid is busting through tackles and West Coast have lifted the energy.

Jamie Cripps has just kicked one from the right forward pocket a couple of minutes in, to bring the margin back to 24 points.

There's a long way to go, but it's a start.

Can they put some nervous thoughts in Carlton minds? We'll see.

Calsher Dear kicks a lovely set shot from the right forward pocket to wrap things up for the Hawks.

An even later behind ends the scoring, but as the siren sounds, that is an impressive win from Hawthorn.

They broke the game open early, but were challenged by Richmond before steadying to etch their name in the top eight.

It would take something remarkable to shift them at this point, with a game against North Melbourne to come next week.