The Melbourne Demons have kept themselves in the mix for the AFL Women’s grand final, winning a tight thriller against the Carlton Blues on Saturday morning.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Melbourne Demons 6.6.42
Carlton Blues 5.6.36
The Melbourne Demons and Carlton Blues are both looking to stay in the hunt for a grand final berth when they go head-to-head at Casey Fields. Join The Roar for live scores from the match and a live blog of the game, starting from 11:35am AEDT.
Both of these sides are 2-1 coming into this game and currently occupy the third and fourth spots on the ladder – in the better half of the competition, sure, but were things to end right now they would miss out on the post-season.
That’s the tricky thing about this year’s AFL Women’s set-up, only the top two teams out of eight get a chance to play finals footy and with only a seven-week season, every game is absolutely critical.
Brisbane and Adelaide are leading the competition at the moment with perfect 3-0 records so if either of these two teams wants to play off in the final they will need to make up a win on them at some point.
Losing here might just put it beyond reach, potentially two wins behind the pack with only three games left in hand.
Melbourne had a first-up loss to the Brisbane Lions in Round 1, but have since bounced back to claim a come-from-behind victory over Collingwood, and a win over the Western Bulldogs last week.
Carlton started like a house on fire, winning the inaugural AFL Women’s game against the Magpies, then backed it up in a tougher affair against GWS before being beaten by an Erin Phillips match-winner last week against the Crows.
The match will be played at Casey Fields, Melbourne’s home, but it’s a ground they have a 0-1 record at so far. Carlton have not yet lost in Victoria.
The major task for the Blues will be to overcome the absence of Brianna Davey, who is likely to miss the next two weeks due to injury.
Prediction
Carlton have been the more impressive of these two sides to date, albeit not by a lot. I’ll tip them to keep their grand final hopes alive.
Carlton Blues by 12.
Join The Roar for live scores from the match and a live blog of the game, starting from 11:35am AEDT.
Josh
Expert
Click here for the match report. Thanks to all who joined me for this blog!
Josh
Expert
Quite a thrilling match in the end! Match report to come.
Josh
Expert
FULL TIME MELBOURNE 6.6.42 CARLTON 5.6.36
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Expert
GOAL MELBOURNE Richelle Cranston runs in for a goal and the Dees are ahead! Time running out, that should be the match-winner. MELBOURNE 6.6.42 CARLTON 5.6.36
Josh
Expert
Remarkable comeback from the Blues, spearheaded by Isabella Ayre. Anyone's game now!
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Expert
GOAL CARLTON Isabella Ayre with another big mark, another big goal! Scores are level! MELBOURNE 5.6.36 CARLTON 5.6.36
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Expert
GOAL CARLTON Bianca Jakobsson marks up forward, and slots the goal - we've got a game here! Blues just seven points down now. MELBOURNE 5.6.36 CARLTON 4.5.29
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Expert
GOAL CARLTON Nice mark from Isabella Ayre directly in front, and she slots the goal. Blues cut the margin to 13. MELBOURNE 5.6.36 CARLTON 3.5.23
Josh
Expert
Just not Nat Exon's day. She has a set shot but misses everything.
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Expert
Final term underway!
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Expert
Josh
Expert
Demons really pulled away in that quarter, now they lead the Blues by more than Carlton have scored. Hard to see anything other than a Melbourne win coming out of this final term.
Josh
Expert
3-QUARTER TIME MELBOURNE 5.6.36 CARLTON 2.5.17
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Expert
Alyssa Mifsud with a set shot after the 3-quarter time siren, but she doesn't have the distance.
Josh
Expert
BEHIND MELBOURNE Lily Mithen has a set shot for the Demons, not quite on target. MELBOURNE 5.6.36 CARLTON 2.5.17
Josh
Expert
BEHIND CARLTON Darcy Vescio has a little snap on goal, it rolls along and isn't quite on target. Just a behind. MELBOURNE 5.5.35 CARLTON 2.5.17
Josh
Expert
BEHIND MELBOURNE Harriet Cordner tries a toepoke at goal, it doesn't come off. All going Melbourne's way right now. MELBOURNE 5.5.35 CARLTON 2.4.16
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Expert
BEHIND MELBOURNE Richelle Cranston on the run has a shot, can't quite pull it off through. Dees lead by three goals. MELBOURNE 5.4.34 CARLTON 2.4.16
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Expert
GOAL MELBOURNE Costly miss for the Blues as it turns out, Demons quickly move it forward and Deanna Berry kicks a goal. Melbourne by 17. MELBOURNE 5.3.33 CARLTON 2.4.16
Josh
Expert
BEHIND CARLTON Bianca Jakobsson has a set shot for the Blues, but strikes the post - that's Carlton's third poster of the match. MELBOURNE 4.3.27 CARLTON 2.4.16