AFL 2024 round eight LIVE updates: Blues, Pies trade goals in frantic MCG start

Lovely little moment as Patrick Cripps gives the lady tossing the coin, Angela Coghill, a cheeky thanks when he won it.

Bobby Hill kicked a brilliant goal for the Magpies skipping past a tackler and grubbered the ball under the defence and into the goal.

But he didn’t hear the umpires whistle for a free kick so was called for a 50m penalty.

It didn’t cost them a goal but was a cruel moment.

Blues 21, Pies 19 with six mins to go in Q1.

Lachie Schultz made a superb tackle to win a holding the ball decision at centre half-back, but his kick was cut off by the Blues, who found Adam Cerra on the 50m arc. He chipped the ball to an unmarked McKay, with the big forward snapping his second goal.

This has been a cracking start.

Blues 21, Pies 19 with eight mins to go until QT.

Zac Williams has given away two free kicks on Jamie Elliott early in this match, the second free giving Elliott a shot for goal which he converted.

Nick Daicos followed up with a running goal of his own from a stoppage in the forward line.

Pies 18, Blues 12 with 13 mins to go in Q1.

The Blues’ first two inside-50 targets went to Tom De Koning after coach Michael Voss urged his players pre-match not to be too focused on twin towers Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay.

The Blues pushed the ball quickly towards their forwards and found Harry McKay free out of back of the pack.

He marked and Maynard stripped the ball out of his hands. A 50m penalty was called and McKay ran the 20m to the square and booted the goal.

Within seconds of the restart, the Blues were forward again and Matt Owies kicked a running goal.

Blues 12, Pies 6 with 15 mins to go in Q1.

Brayden Maynard has burst into the forward 50m arc and booted the first goal of the night.

The Magpies look right up for this big occasion.

Jamie Elliott won a free kick forward of the play and fed Maynard who booted the goal.

Pies 6, Blues 0 with 16 mins to go in Q1.

The moment’s silence appeared to be immaculately observed at the MCG by the thousands of fans in the stadium and two sides.

It was a packed pre-game with the moment’s silence followed by the coin toss and then a pre-arranged tribute to cancer sufferers signing along to Robbie Williams classic track “Angels” with the lights dimmed.

Now play has started.

The teams are on the field and they will shortly link arms and observe a moment’s silence to honour the victims of violence against women.

Below is Jake Niall’s story on why they are doing it:

All AFL players, coaches and umpires will observe a moment’s silence in a statement honouring the victims of violence against women in this weekend’s round of AFL games.

The minute’s silence will take place before all nine AFL games around the country, with players, coaches and umpires to form a circle on the field, the AFL has confirmed.

The AFL and clubs have decided on the moment’s silence rather than other potential gestures, such as wearing orange armbands, as a way to make a statement recognising the prevalence of gender-based violence, amid growing community outrage about the killing of women in 2024, when a woman has been killed violently on average every four days.

Click here to read the story.

The AFL has blocked a move to induct former North Melbourne champion Wayne Carey as a legend in the NSW Australian Football Hall of Fame.

League boss Andrew Dillon delivered the news personally to Carey on Friday morning in a phone call, saying it would be inappropriate for him to receive such an honour at a time when the AFL was taking a stance honouring victims of violence against women.

The AFL learned on Thursday that Carey, who was born in Wagga Wagga, was to be inducted as a legend at a function to be held at the SCG on Friday night.

Dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes declined the NSW Australian Football Hall of Fame honour, continuing his estrangement from the AFL since his retirement in 2015 after widespread racial abuse from opposition fans, though he remains connected to his beloved Swans.

Click here to read the story.