Melbourne are just one win away from a maiden AFLW grand final premiership, claiming a thrilling preliminary final over defending champions Brisbane by four points at the MCG.
In a match dominated by defence and suffocated by pressure – a whopping 175 tackles were laid – three goals from teenage livewire Alyssa Bannan proved decisive for the Dees, while gun midfielder Karen Paxman starred with 20 disposals.
Veteran Daisy Pearce was crucial as a calming hand at half-back in a tense final few minutes, with the Dees able to hold off a late Brisbane challenge to proceed to their first ever AFLW grand final.
They await the winner of Adelaide’s clash with Fremantle to determine who – and where – they will be playing as they vie to become the first team to complete the double of AFL and AFLW flags.
The Demons split Saturday’s contest wide open with four unanswered goals in the second half and then held on grimly to win 5.3 (33) to 4.5 (29).
This first AFLW game at the MCG continued the series of nerve-wracking battles between these teams with Melbourne victorious by three points earlier in the season.
After Dakota Davidson goalled on the run to fire Brisbane into the lead early in the third quarter, the Demons wrested control of the contest.
Bannan booted her second and third goals, ruck Lauren Pearce got a goal from a stoppage and Eliza McNamara sent the home fans wild with a freakish bouncing goal from a tight angle.
It seemed the Melbourne players, seemingly fresher after a longer break during the finals, had the game on their terms with a 17-point buffer after Bannan booted her third goal.
But Brisbane refused to surrender and Shannon Campbell provided hope with a left-footed goal on the run with six minutes left on the clock.
And when Greta Bodey kicked straight from a mark 30m out, the Lions trailed by just four points with 36 seconds remaining.
The ball was in the Lions’ forward half when the siren ended a stirring battle.
It was a bruising contest that turned into a slog in the greasy conditions following light rain shortly before the start of the game.
Both teams were hellbent on getting the ball into the open to implement their running styles, but the slippery ball literally played into the hands of the defenders in the low-scoring first half.
© AAP
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