AFL 2024 LIVE updates: Cripps rocks the baby after key goal as Blues, Dockers battle

Curnow has marked in the left pocket and then gone back and booted his second goal right through the middle of the goals.

He is fired up, the Blues are fired up and they are starting to force their turnovers too with Orazio Fantasia stealing the ball from a Freo passing attempt just before that goal.

The Blues have used their sub too with Matt Owies on and Elijah Hollands off with a suspected abductor injury.

Blues 38, Freo 34 with 10 mins to go in Q3.

The drought has been broken as Charlie Curnow pulled in a contested mark and kicked his first goal of the day.

Curnow screamed with delight after that goal. He could be ready to fire off a few more majors but only if the Blues can get him the footy.

Freo 32, Blues 32 with 14 mins to go in Q3.

“He’s entitled to spoil is he not?” Fox Footy’s Garry Lyon asked after Blues defender Mitch McGovern was called for a free kick after his arm caught his opponent’s arm and then the ball deep in the forward line.

Sam Switkowski played on and kicked the goal.

The Blues have had plenty of ball but have yet to kick a major this term.

Freo 32, Blues 26 with 15 mins to go in Q3.

The beautiful retro guernsey they were wearing, complete with the old AFL logo, was a hint. The West Coast Eagles turned back the clock on Saturday – back to when they and the Sydney Swans shared the game’s best rivalry, and that famous run of thrilling single-digit margins. Back to when they had a guy wearing No.9 absolutely tearing it up in midfield.

Back to a long-forgotten era when they were actually good.

It didn’t last, of course, because the Eagles of today are coming from such a long way back. But everyone was expecting this clash to be decidedly one-sided, like the last time they met, and it was not. The good people of Mount Barker were treated to an actual contest. Gather Round 2024 had its first close-ish game – much closer than what the final scoreline suggests it was.

The Swans prevailed by 26 points – 15.14 (104) to 11.12 (78) – but won’t be entirely happy. The Eagles won just one quarter – the second, their first of the year – but they might be. Taking last year’s record-breaking defeat at the SCG into account, this represented a 145-point turnaround, and you don’t see those every day.

Click here to read the story.

The Dockers have the tempo and contested game style they wanted but the Blues are still in the contest as they only trail by three points.

McKay and Curnow have yet to kick a goal, Luke Ryan, Alex Pearce and Fremantle’s defence deserves some plaudits for that but the Blues have failed to create the turnovers and quick possessions they need to put their forwards in position to score.

It’s anyone’s games at half time but the match itself is in Fremantle’s image and Carlton can’t stand for that.

Matt Cottrell has a special habit of stepping up in difficult situations for the Blues and the red-headed flanker and done it again winning a two on one contest and then kicking a running goal.

At a time when goals are at a premium for the Blues, the commentators described their forward line as “impotent” this half, Cottrell has converted at a key moment.

Freo 26, Blues 20 with seven mins to go in Q2.

Freo key forward Matt Taberner has made a crucial tackle to force a holding the ball penalty and he has followed it up by kicking a goal from the subsequent free kick.

On a day when all eyes are on McKay and Curnow from Carlton, it’s Fremantle’s main forward who has kicked a major.

Freo 26, Blues 14 with 10 mins to go in Q2.

The Blues can’t figure out this Dockers team in a low-scoring first half.

Finally, the Dockers forced a turnover and burst into attack where Jye Amiss was running back to goal.

He marked and goaled.

The Dockers lead and deservedly so.

Freo 20, Blues 13 with 15 mins to go in Q2.