Australian Football

Match Report

Melbourne finished off the season on a high note with an upset win over the GWS Giants at Docklands Stadium on Sunday. The Demons finally snapped a 22-game losing streak at the venue, defeating the more fancied Giants to win by 26 points. The game was played on level terms until half time but a six-goal third term from Melbourne set up the win.

The favoured Giants got off to a good start, with goals to Zac Williams and Rhys Palmer in the first 13 minutes. But a purple patch for the Demons saw them knock up fur majors in a row through Jeff Garlett, James Harmes, Jesse Hogan and Garlett again. That gave Melbourne an 11-point lead but GWS finished the quarter strongly with goals to Lachie Whitfield and Jeremy Cameron and scores were locked at 4.1 apiece at quarter time.

Goals proved hard to come by in the early stages of the second term, the teams alternating in behinds until Jacob Townsend broke the drought at the 10-minute mark with a goal for the Giants. Melbourne hit back with the next two via Jeremy Howe and Ben Newton but two of the next three went the way of Greater Western Sydney leaving the Demons just two points clear at the half. 

It was in the third quarter that Melbourne broke the game open. Early goals to Nathan Jones and Jack Grimes gave the Demons an 11-point lead half way through the term, but GWS hit back with two of the next three to draw within nine points at the 23-minute mark. The final five minutes of the quarter proved crucial, two goals to Newton and one to Hogan giving the Demons a decisive 27-point advantage at the last turn.

Toby Greene gave GWS brief hope with a goal inside the first two minutes of the last term but Jay Kennedy-Harris responded for the Demons soon after. Cameron again raised the Giants spirits with a major at the nine-minute mark but defences reigned supreme after that, neither side scoring another goal until the 25-minute mark when James Harmes delivered the killer blow, his goal the final of the match as the Demons won by 26 points. 

Best for the Demons in their last match of the season included skipper Nathan Jones (36 possessions, four tackles) and Bernie Vince (38 touches, seven tackles), while Callan Ward (32 possessions, seven tackles) and Adam Treloar (26 touches, four marks) finished off the season in style for GWS.

The season saw Melbourne register seven wins, three more than in 2014, while the Giants moved from six wins last year to 11 in 2015. Both sides will be looking to increase those totals again next season.

GOALS
Melbourne: Newton, Hogan 3; Garlett, Harmes 2; Howe, Jones, Grimes, Dunn, Kennedy-Harris
GWS: Williams, Cameron 2; Palmer, Whitfield, Townsend, Ward, Stewart, Smith, Greene

BEST - THE AGE
Melbourne: Vince, Jones, Viney, Hogan, Gawn
GWS: Ward, Treloar, Shaw, Greene

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Melbourne: Jones, Vince, Viney, Hogan, Cross, Garland, McDonald, Gawn
GWS: Ward, Greene, Smith, Shaw, Townsend

INJURIES
Melbourne: Cross (concussion)
GWS: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Melbourne: Alex Neal-Bullen replaced Mitch White in the final term
GWS: Jake Barrett replaced Caleb Marchbank at half-time

UMPIRES: Foot, Fisher, Hay, Wallace

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Sandy Roberts, Dwayne Russell, Brad Johnson, Alastair Lynch, Cameron Mooney