Carlton Blues reach AFL finals despite last-gasp loss to St Kilda Saints after Port Adelaide defeat Fremantle

Carlton have survived the most emotional of AFL roller-coasters, falling into the finals despite a “heartbreaking” two-point loss to St Kilda.

Needing a win to guarantee their top-eight spot, the undermanned Blues were sunk by Jack Higgins’ last-gasp goal in a 11.10 (76) to 11.8 (74) defeat at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

But Michael Voss’s Blues were saved by Port Adelaide, whose hard-fought win over Fremantle in the last game of the home-and-away season saved Carlton’s blushes as they finished eighth.

Port Adelaide’s 87-67 victory only came after the Power managed to pull well clear of the Dockers in the final five minutes, setting up a blistering opening final round in two weeks time.

Brisbane will host Carlton at the Gabba and the Bulldogs will host Hawthorn at the MCG in the elimination finals, while GWS’ 98-61 loss to the Bulldogs today means they now face Sydney at the SCG and Port will welcome Geelong to Adelaide Oval in the qualifying finals.

The AFL will confirm the schedule of the four games on Monday morning.

Carlton’s prize for sneaking into the top eight is an elimination final against the team that ended their flag hopes ended last year.

And the Bulldogs take on Hawthorn in the only game in Victoria, with both sides riding waves of momentum into the finals.

In a season so tight, Geelong coach Chris Scott believes the premiership could be decided by as little as 15 minutes of brilliance - or even luck.

“Besides the way the finals is structured - the location of games and second chances and all that sort of stuff - I’d just throw a blanket over the eight teams,” Scott said.

“It’s going to be the same as the rest of the season ... it will likely come down to a 15-minute patch (of football) here or there.

“It’s not just the teams who end up in the eight. I think there are teams outside the eight who have had their moments this year where they would say they can beat anyone.

“That’s one reason to be proud of the situation that we find ourselves in (finishing top four), because it doesn’t feel like it’s ever been as hard to maintain consistency.”

Under the current finals system - introduced in 2000 - only three sides have reached the grand final from outside the top four.

And the Bulldogs are the only team to have won four consecutive finals to claim the flag, when they triumphed in 2016.

But there’s every chance Brisbane, the Bulldogs, Hawthorn or Carlton could repeat that feat from the bottom half of the eight this season.

“If the team is good enough (now), then the rest of the year doesn’t matter,” Scott said.

“You don’t get a prize for being the most consistent through the course of the season, as long as you qualify high enough.

“The prize comes for the team that plays best in the last month and we feel like we’ve given ourselves a chance to be that team.”

AFL FINALS WEEK ONE

(AFL to confirm schedule on Monday)

Qualifying finals: Sydney v GWS, Port Adelaide v Geelong

Elimination finals: Brisbane Lions v Carlton, Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn