Follow scores, results, odds, squads; teams named for all-or-nothing Friday night clash between Carlton and West Coast

Carlton secured qualification for the AFLW finals and dealt a massive blow to the West Coast’s post-season hopes after a hard-earned 20-point win.

With the score level at 2.4 (16) at three quarters and the finals on the line, the Blues won 6.6 (42) to 3.4 (22) after the Eagles awarded a costly 50-metre penalty on Friday night.

After first-year Eagles superstar Lucia Painter scored the first goal of the fourth quarter, Blues captain Abbie McKay responded to take back the lead.

It was Carlton forward Tara Bohanna who kept the visitors level after Eagles rival Georgie Cleaver gifted the extra metre.

Roxanne Roux had been given the ball away for holding Bohanna in a marking contest, but Cleaver accidentally knocked the ball to the ground instead of passing it back to the Carlton player.

Erone Fitzpatrick added to the buffer before Darcy Vescio turned back the clock with a goal after the siren.

Carlton are in their first final since the conference system was phased out in 2021 and last reached the post-season in 2020.

Mathew Buck’s side are in fifth place (8-4) ahead of the weekend’s matches, with an eight-point gap between the Blues and 10th-placed Fremantle.

But the Eagles are seventh (6-6) and will be sweating on other results to secure a first final place under coach Daisy Pearce.

West Coast were forced to play a must-win match with one woman missing from the bench after striker Kellie Gibson was unable to finish the game due to illness.

Gibson had made just five touches before being ruled out at half-time.

Eagles forward Lauren Wakfer scored the first and only goal of the opening period as both teams struggled in the wet.

Bohanna looked ready to strike back for the Blues after firing a powerful strike into the goal area, but the key striker had a set-piece shot controversially disallowed after the siren.

The Blues trailed by five points at quarter-time.

Bohanna was undeniable and scored the first goal of the second quarter to help Carlton take a three-point lead.

But the visitors’ lead did not last until half-time after Blues’ Maddy Hendrie gave away a free kick to Eagles youngster Charlotte Riggs.

Regaining possession near the goal square, Riggs easily converted the set shot, helping the Eagles take a six-point advantage in the main half.

Carlton came running onto the field after half-time and it took less than a minute for Keeley Sherar to level the scores at 2.3 (15).

Sherar notched one behind to give the Blues the lead as a desperate Eagles team made 24 tackles in the third quarter to limit the damage.

The scores were level again after West Coast midfielder Kayley Kavanagh scored a point before the final change.

AAP