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Demons beat Hawks to win inaugural AFLX crown

Christian Salem of the Demons stand for the last post during the round five AFL match between the Richmond Tigers and the Melbourne Demons at Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 24, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
16th February, 2018
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Melbourne have scored a 10-point win over Hawthorn in Friday night’s AFLX grand final at Etihad Stadium.

The Demons led by 22 points at halftime and held on for a 56-46 victory in front of 22,585 fans.

Jake Melksham, Alex Neal-Bullen and James Harmes all booted 10-pointers in the final, with Melksham outstanding throughout with a tournament-high five goals from outside the 40m arc.

“The important thing for us is it didn’t matter what we played or what the rules were, we just wanted to see some Melbourne footy the way that we play it,” Demons coach Craig Jennings said.

“I thought across the three games we really showed that.

“I was really pleased with the boys.”

The Demons recorded wins over Carlton and North Melbourne to book their place in the decider, while the Hawks defeated Essendon and St Kilda to progress.

“I think both sides fatigued a bit towards the end, which slowed the game down a bit and brought in a few more contests,” Hawthorn skipper Tim O’Brien said.

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“We were able to have a bit more of a physical battle and that’s where the (extra) intensity came in.

“(But) it was more about having fun for us.”

Melbourne scored a comprehensive 82-54 win over the Blues in the first of six pool matches, their strategy of setting up shots at goal from outside the arc netting them seven 10-pointers.

Melksham led the charge for the Demons with three goals from outside the arc.

Hawthorn were happy to find marking targets inside the 40m in the second game against the Bombers and it proved equally effective, the Hawks prevailing 72-54.

Carlton departed the competition after a strong North Melbourne squad dealt them a 83-68 defeat.

The Roos’ total was the highest recorded after the first 14 matches of the abbreviated game, played by seven-a-side teams over 10-minute halves on a soccer-sized pitch.

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North fielded the most-experienced side of the evening featuring Ben Cunnington, Jarrad Waite, Shaun Higgins and Jamie Macmillan.

The Bombers were eliminated when they suffered their second loss of the night, St Kilda recording a 52-37 win in their first game.

The Roos bowed out when the Demons scored a 70-46 win despite only scoring one 10-pointer, with Melksham again effective from long range.

The Saints and Hawks played off in the last pool game for the second spot in the grand final.

St Kilda led by 24 points at halftime but Hawthorn clicked into gear to score a 77-55 win.

Adelaide downed Geelong by eight points to win the inaugural AFLX grand final in Adelaide on Thursday night.

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