The Blues never dreamed of coming this far. The Cats are next in their sights

August 30, 2026 — 12:13am

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At 1-8 from nine games, and with Michael Voss gone, the notion that Carlton could, or would, play Geelong in an elimination final was as preposterous as a Bulldogs’ premiership before the 2016 finals.

Carlton’s chief executive Graham Wright had not contemplated such an ascension from near the bottom.

“Well, not really no,” Wright said in the rooms, after the Blues wore down the Demons on Saturday night, when asked if he ever imagined this team reaching the top eight this year.

“The wildcard gave us the opportunity, and it’s just week to week ... you’ve won seven in a row, and then I suppose it becomes a little bit of a reality, but we still had to do a fair bit in the back seven [games].”

The team that Josh Fraser has reassembled or redefined has a different method to that of the Voss Blues. In overcoming Melbourne’s 21-point early lead and restricting the Demons to just three goals after quarter-time, the Blues defended........

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