Source :- THE AGE NEWS
A worry for the Kangaroos is that they are being beaten up at the source, having just won their first clearance of the match, while the Blues have seven.
This has been an entertaining game so far, each team scoring regularly when they enter attacking 50.
Roos 20, Blues 16 with five mins to go in Q1.
Roos skipper Nick Larkey is on the board after he was pushed over by a Blues defender.
He went back and booted the goal.
There is a bit of debate about whether Larkey was pushed hard enough for it to be a free kick but the whistle went and the goal has been scored.
The Roos won the ball from the middle and Jack Darling pulled in a strong pack mark, running with his back to the play.
One thing in particular we heard just outside Marvel Stadium a few moments ago was one of the ground announcers welcoming the fans to the “round three” clash between the Roos and Blues.
To be fair, it’s hard to keep track – thanks to opening round.
Next year, we beg you, AFL: If opening round remains under that name, make the following week round two and continue from there. Easy.
Brodie Kemp has made up for his previous miss by booting a goal after receiving a 50m penalty.
Roos flyer Paul Curtis ran into the protected area after Kemp had the ball on the wing – it was a bad error from Curtis.
Blues 15, Roos 8 with nine mins to go in Q1.
Now the Blues are starting to create some run and fast ball into attack…only for their forwards to hit the post.
Both Harry McKay and Brodie Kemp to hit the post with their shots.
Moments after Kemp’s miss. Finn O’Sullivan from the Roos booted the ball from the wing and was cleaned up by a Blues opponent after he kicked.
Paul Curtis got a downfield free kick from 35m out and he nailed it.
Blues 9, Roos 8 with 10 mins to go in Q1.
The Blues have kicked the first goal via Marc Pittonet but they’ve had all kinds of trouble moving the ball from their defence with the Roos repeatedly disrupting them.
The problem for the Roos is that they haven’t been able to kick any goals, yet.
“The Blues have tried to exit three times now and the Roos have stopped them each time,” Garry Lyon said on Fox Footy.
“There is a lot of ball watching going on with Carlton’s defence,” Jason Dunstall added on the same play.
Callum Coleman-Jones has marked and taken the first shot at goal but he went wide and could only score a behind.
The Blues had a rushed behind just before that.
But we are on the board and away.
Roos 1, Blues 1 with 18 mins to go in Q1.
Blues coach Michael Voss has been in the spotlight all week, now he will want to see his side show some major improvement from their frustrating start to 2026.
Voss has the fire in the eyes today, let’s see what we get from the Blues.
Each year, patients from the Royal Children’s Hospital run through a banner and ring the bell to signify the end of their treatment.
Little Augie rang that bell with all his might.
Here is some more information from the Roos:
One of the Good Friday SuperClash’s most moving traditions, players from both sides will form a guard of honour for about 100 Royal Children’s Hospital patients, as they run through a joint banner together.
This year, to start the reverse guard of honour, three-year-old patient Augie will “ring the bell” in front of a packed Marvel Stadium. Ringing the bell is a special ritual at the Royal Children’s Hospital, signifying the end of a long, gruelling journey of treatment.
We’ve had some comedy gold at the first siren with the umpires coming out with a little toddler who was holding the match ball.
The problem was that the baby didn’t want to give up the footy to the umpires and proceeded to run away towards the Roos’ mascot!
Thankfully, the umpire was calm enough to take the ball from the little one without causing any tears.
That’s as good of a win as the umpires will have today.
Game time is about 15 minutes away.
