AFL Good Friday LIVE: Warm conditions for Kangas v Carlton clash

Key posts

Goal: Carlton’s quick reply

Well, well, well … that will really please Carlton fans. Charlie Curnow has booted truly. A great set shot, in reply to North’s opening goal. The Blues are without Harry McKay today so they’re really banking on a big game from Curnow.

Carlton 1.1 (7) lead North Melbourne 1.0 (6). Q1, 4.24 minutes

Goal: The Roos nab the first

What a beautiful kick Paul Curtis. A ripping kick from the pocket, near the 50m mark.

North Melbourne 1.0 (6) lead Carlton 0.1 (1)

Up and going at Marvel

The ball has been bounced. A bumper crowd is in attendance for this Good Friday afternoon clash.

Pre-match thoughts

Put simply, the Blues and Kangaroos need to step up today. Each is 1-4. The Kangaroos have only seven combined wins under Alastair Clarkson, now in his third season, while a loss today for the Blues would again heap pressure on Michael Voss. The Kangaroos must defend – they have conceded 100 or more points in four of their five games, and have an averaged losing margin in their past three defeats of 124 points.

This the Kangaroos’ marquee fixture of the season, but their record on this day is woeful. They have only one win and have lost six by an average margin of 56 points. It’s time for the Kangaroos to take a stand.

Kangas win the toss

North Melbourne will kick to the western end of the stadium. Or, if you’re watching on TV, to the left of your screens.

Putting a game of footy into perspective

Good Friday has become one of the great occasions on the annual footy calendar. The North Melbourne and Carlton Marvel Stadium clash contributes to shining a light on Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital and the incredible work the healthcare professionals there do to look after some of our must vulnerable.

Blue Matt Cottrell arrives with Oisin and Fionn.Credit: AFL Photos

Roo Paul Curtis with young Jude.Credit: AFL Photos

Cam Zurhaar with Logan.Credit: AFL Photos

Charlie Comben with young Thomas.Credit: AFL Photos

A touching Good Friday Appeal moment

All is in readiness here for a pivotal clash for the Blues and Kangaroos. There was a touching moment when the two teams lined up in a guard of honour for children who have required treatment at the Royal Children’s Hospital. After the children on hand were acknowledged, the Blues and Kangaroos then went through the one banner together.

Lion Neale blasts trolls

Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale has launched an extraordinary attack on online trolls after the club’s heavy loss to Collingwood at the Gabba on Thursday night.

The two-time Brownlow winner didn’t mince his words in his criticism of anonymous pundits who either contact players or speak about them on social media. Neale described the trolls as “the biggest stain on society”.

It’s unclear if Neale’s strong response in an Instagram story on Friday morning was responding to criticism directed at him or any of his teammates after the Lions went down to the Magpies by 52 points.

“It’s getting beyond a joke now, the things I’ve seen sent are some of the most horrific messages I’ve ever seen,” Neale said in the social media post.“It’s a game of football, grow the f— up. Cowards.

“Put your face and name to your words.”

Neale’s strong words came less than a week after Port Adelaide’s Willie Rioli was subject to racist abuse online, prompting the Indigenous player’s coach Ken Hinkley to call for stronger laws to hold social media users accountable.

Rioli shut down his social media accounts after being the latest Indigenous AFL star to be racially abused.