AFL 2026: The Blowtorch, Wildcard Finals biggest talking points, preview, analysis, how to watch on Fox Footy, commentators, latest news

The telling ‘Fraseball’ detail that prompted a great to draw an ominous comparison, and why one finalist is already out of premiership contention.

Plus, more of the biggest talking points ahead of the Wildcard Finals, as well as the Fox Footy commentary roster for both games, in Foxfooty.com.au’s ultimate weekly preview: The Blowtorch!

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‘VERY RICHMOND 2017’: BIG CALL AS GREAT REVEALS KEY DETAIL OMINOUS COMPARISON

‘Fraseball’ has been all the rage amid Carlton’s barnstorming surge to the finals.

Changing angles with the footy with confidence and deception, the Blues have transformed into a destructive ball movement force under Josh Fraser.

But come finals time, as we know, there’s a greater emphasis on clubs’ ability to defend the ground.

And it’s that aspect of ‘Fraseball’ that’s set to hold Carlton in greatest stead when it meets Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday night.

Since Fraser took the reins in Round 10, his Blues have ranked second in the competition for points against, third for score-per-inside-50 against, second for chain-to-score against, and fourth for defending ball movement.

Lions premiership great Jonathan Brown examined defensive vision from the Blues’ statement victory over Fremantle last Saturday, noting the space coverage in set plays, and the wall set-up at stoppage.

“Love the connection and the spacing here; that is fantastic. That is textbook stuff; all on the same page,” Brown said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

“I know this seems relatively basic for everyone that’s been involved in the footy industry, but it still requires high communication.

“And then we can see at stoppages, I love the line (of players); I love the seal.”

Brown noted that at a particular stoppage, six Carlton players formed a defensive barrier protecting the open side of the ground.

Triple Richmond flag-winner Jack Riewoldt then chimed in: “This is very Richmond 2017, Browny.

“What you’re showing right now is a blueprint to how the Tigers changed the game in 2017, off the back of your (Jordan Lewis’) Hawks.

“It shows a well-structured team and a well-coached team in only what has been 14 weeks for Josh Fraser.”

A single act that epitomised Carlton’s defensive buy-in was Ollie Hollands’ 90-metre chasedown tackle of Patrick Voss in the goalsquare.

“That’s the type of stuff that has made this team endearing to the fans,” four-time premiership player Jordan Lewis said.

“The fans love it. It is a game style that involves the fans along the way, in terms of it’s pretty chaotic, it’s tackling, it’s high-marking — it’s that game as a fan you love to go and see because you feel like you’re involved.”

Geelong assistant coach Nathan Buckley, whose Cats fell to Fraser’s Blues in Round 12, couldn’t ignore the form Fraser’s side is in.

“Well, clearly, if you look at the ladder since ‘Frase’ has gone in as the interim coach, their win-loss is better than anyone’s, so they’re at the top of that ladder when you look at the last half a season of form,” Buckley said.

“But as we saw, it’s all phases. So, the uncontested marks to control the ball to be able to transfer from D50 to forward 50 really well, spreading the load with their front six, taking a lot of marks inside the forward 50, but not relying on one or two.”

‘SLIP-UP’ TO COST SHOCK RISER’S CHANCE AT FLAG… AND THERE’S ONE BIG REASON WHY

A resurgent Melbourne season that has brimmed with optimism and promise seems set for a disappointing end.

Under first-year coach Steven King, the Demons have been reborn as an electric, fast-paced offensive beast that’s challenged the best sides all year.

Their four-point upset of Fremantle in Round 22 was the climax, at which point they seemed destined for a threatening September run — having been in the box seat for at least a top-six spot for several weeks.

Their huge away win against Port Adelaide the next week had the Dees dreaming of an unforeseen top-four berth.

But in their final home-and-away test, they ran into the battle-hardened Bulldogs.

All of a sudden, they’re an outside chance of getting past wildcard weekend, let alone challenging for the premiership.

“Whoever slipped up (and fell out of the top six) was going to cost themselves a chance at winning the premiership, and unfortunately, it was Melbourne on the weekend,” Saints great Leigh Montagna told Fox Footy’s First Crack.

“While we’ve all loved the season that they’ve had, they’ve been so much fun to watch, we’ve admired what Steven King has been able to do with the group, they have coughed that one up to the point where they can’t win the premiership.

“Because, now, the way that it’s fallen, they are going to have to play the most in-form team in the competition since Round 10 in Carlton, and if they were to win that, they then have to travel interstate three times in a row, most likely, to get to a grand final.

“They have to go to Adelaide, then play the loser of Sydney-Brisbane, and then most likely go through Fremantle.

“So unfortunately, it won’t be their year, despite a few weeks ago some people thinking that they might be a chance.”

And it’s been the defensive side of the game that has been the letdown.

For the year, the Demons have ranked 15th for points from turnover against, 12th for defending ball movement, and 13th for points against.

And against the Bulldogs last Saturday specifically, Melbourne was outscored 10.6 to 3.5 from the turnover source, and a glaring 11.5 to 1.4 in the defensive-half scoring battle.

“It (defence) was a concern for me why I didn’t think Melbourrne were good enough,” Montagna said.

“We know, at this time of year — this is why we look at teams’ profiles — because it needs to be in great shape, otherwise it gets exposed come September.

“And unfortunately, on the weekend, it got exposed by Luke Beveridge and the Western Bulldogs.

“They were able to move the ball … (and) Melbourne, defensively, just got caught out, and it’s been the areas they’ve struggled with for the majority of the season — their ability to defend off turnover and defend transition.

“Too many times (against the Dogs) when they got through Melbourne’s first or second layer … they all press in and squeeze, and when they win the ball back, they are mighty dangerous, but also, if you get through that inner bubble, you can score against them, and it just puts too much pressure on their defence.

“And while they score, when the scoring dries up like it did in this game … they then have to rely on their defence, and I just don’t think their defence is strong enough at the moment.”

With the free-flowing Blues looming this Saturday night, the Dees would appear up against it.

And while Dan Turner has been cleared for wildcard weekend, Jake Lever (toe) is under a cloud.

DAICOS REST TRUTH… AND ISSUE WITH PENDLES DEBATE

Collingwood coach Craig McRae was the subject of criticism for his decision not to rest key players for the side’s dead-rubber loss to Brisbane last Friday.

There were plenty of external calls for the likes of Nick Daicos, Darcy Cameron and Scott Pendlebury, among others, to be rested for the Lions clash.

McRae fielded a strong team, though, and Pendlebury came away from the weekend with a hamstring injury that’s set to cost him two-to-three weeks — likely ruling him out of the Magpies’ finals series.

But while Daicos suited up and played Brisbane, his actual playing time suggests there was a targeted effort to manage him in-game.

Daicos played 76 per cent of the first quarter, 74 per cent of the second, 75 per cent of the third, and 31 per cent of the fourth.

The champion midfielder, who typically plays roughly 85 per cent game time most weeks, played 84 minutes against the Lions.

It was the first time since Round 10 that he played less than 100 minutes in a game. He’s only done that three times this year.

But whatever the reason was to select Pendlebury for the meaningless game, it didn’t pay dividends.

As former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley explained On the Couch, the Pies’ decision to play the games record-holder went “against the grain” of the club’s management of him this year.

“It’s (been) like three and a rest, three and a rest, one and a rest, three and a rest,” Buckley said.

“This would’ve been his second game in a row, but then you’re thinking ‘OK, well, he’s got to play next week, and if we keep going …’

“So, that’s a misstep, and I think they’ll review it that way.”

But has the Pendlebury fixation gone too far?

Branching out from the simple management discussion, Hawks great Jordan Lewis asked: “Is it too much around one person?

“I mean, a lot of the conversation has been dominated around Pendlebury and managing him through his years and through the games. For me, it’s too much conversation around one person,” Lewis said.

“And the team philosophy around winning and everyone buying in … managing someone’s year, in terms of playing them on and off all year, how that affects the psyche of the group in a 24-round season …

“I’m thinking from my point of view … I want players who are fit and able to play every single week.”

Buckley said Collingwood’s roaring second half of the season hasn’t been about Pendlebury, but rather the collective standing up.

“Collingwood has been pretty good in the last two months, and that hasn’t been about one person,” he said.

“Their collective and their young players have come along, and they looked really good.

“There are question marks over how they’re going to regenerate themselves into this next challenge, but they’ve stood up at every post in this last half a season.”

Lewis added: “I think these young kids that have come through have shown that … they are ready to fill that void (left by the older players)…”

‘PAID HIM NO RESPECT’: DOG-GONE DAY PIES MUST LEARN FROM

It’s the Round 12 vision Collingwood coach Craig McRae rued in the aftermath, and would have studied extensively this week ahead of his side’s wildcard clash with the Bulldogs.

Because when the Pies and Dogs did battle last time around, Richards went berserk at Marvel Stadium in a winning cause, particularly in the fourth quarter.

But it’s been his red-hot form season-long that should have McRae considering sending Ed Allan his way on Friday night.

The exhilarating left-footer, since mid-season, has been the second-highest rated player in the competition behind only Nick Daicos. It’s a crying shame he wasn’t rubber-stamped as an All-Australian.

And he knows when the most important moments are to stand tall, saving some of the greatest games of his career for the Bulldogs’ most important games of the year — Opening Round vs Brisbane, both wins over Melbourne, and the draw with Carlton when Bontempelli was out.

“For me, it’s going to be Operation Red. Because all eyes are going to be on Bontempelli and Daicos, and rightly so. But I think this guy is criminally underrated, still,” Saints great Leigh Montagna said on Fox Footy’s First Crack Preview.

“I’m staggered that he wasn’t in the All-Australian team. He had a couple of poor games early to mid-year, but other than that, he’s been outstanding.”

In the past five games, Richards has averaged 29.4 disposals — 12.8 contested — 7.0 clearances, 1.2 goals and 9.0 score involvements.

“He’s gone to another level in the last five weeks, and he does as much damage offensively as any midfielder in the game — and that’s including Daicos and Bontempelli, and whoever else you want to put in the conversation,” Montagna said.

“There’s a reason why he was the second-highest rated player in the competition last year, and the third-highest rated player in the competition this year.

“It’s because of what he does whenever he gets the ball, and everything is maximum damage.”

Against the Pies three months ago, Richards repeatedly streamed out of the centre bounce to create scoring opportunities.

McRae can’t afford to let it happen again, particularly in what’ll inevitably be a close elimination encounter.

“He was huge; he was involved in everything, able to hit the scoreboard, set a couple up, and Collingwood paid him no respect that day (in Round 12),” Montagna added.

“So, I’m just wondering now, for this final, whether instead of Bontempelli, does Ed Allan try and go to Ed Richards and try and clamp his influence.

“Because I think he has as much impact on this team as Marcus Bontempelli does.

“He’s very rarely been tagged when I went back and had a look through the season … which is a bit surprising.

“Everything he does has impact. I just think it’s a big mission for Collingwood — if they can slow down Ed Richards, that’s going to go a long way for them winning the game.”

AFL WILDCARD FINALS FIXTURE & FOX FOOTY COMMENTATORS (all times AEST)

SECOND WILDCARD FINAL: COLLINGWOOD v WESTERN BULLDOGS

Friday August 28, 7:40pm at the MCG

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6:30pm on Channel 504, with Garry Lyon, Jonathan Brown, Tom Hawkins, Nathan Buckley, Anthony Hudson, Gerard Whateley, Jason Dunstall, Kath Loughnan, Brad Johnson, Cameron Mooney & Jon Ralph

SECOND WILDCARD FINAL: MELBOURNE v CARLTON

Saturday August 29, 7:35pm at the MCG

How to watch on Fox Footy: From 6:30pm on Channel 504, with Sarah Jones, Jason Dunstall, David King, Leigh Montagna, Dwayne Russell, Mark Howard, Jack Riewoldt, Ben Dixon, Eddie Betts & Jon Ralph