AFLW – Grand Final Brisbane V Melbourne

Jacqui Parry

When the Demons squad are standing out on the field and they hear the Lions song before the start of the Grand Final on Sunday – we’ll be singing these words:

We are the pride of Springfield town
We wear the Demons Red and Blue
We will fight like Hell for victory
Like the Demon Squads of old

All for one and one for all
We will answer to the call
Go Lions back to Brisbane – (without that Shiny Cup)
We’ll kick the winning score
You’ll hear our mighty roar – (and then you’ll hear):

The Grand Old Flag

It’s a grand old flag, it’s a high-flying flag,
It’s the emblem for me and for you,
It’s the emblem of the team we love,
The team of the Red and the Blue.
Every heart beats true, for the Red and the Blue,
And we sing this song to you,
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the Red and the Blue.
 
Oh, the team played fine in the year Thirty-nine,
We’re the Demons that no one can lick,
And you’ll find us there at the final bell,
With the spirit of Twenty-six.
Every heart beats true, for the Red and the Blue,
And we sing this song to you,
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the Red and the Blue.

We are going to Paxinate them!!

Preliminary Final – Melbourne V Brisbane

Liam Chambers

Melbourne have made it to their first AFLW Grand Final! It was so close in the end, but the girls put in a valiant effort to produce the win.

It was a nervous start all around but the Dees managed to keep the ball in their forward half for the first five minutes. They were unable to capitalise on their advantage and the Lions started to make headway into Melbourne’s defensive territory. Brisbane also struggled to get on the scoreboard with the Dees keeping their defence tight.

Shelley Heath effected a great tackle on Jesse Wardlaw, preventing the Ruck from scoring an almost certain goal. The wet conditions didn’t seem to be favouring either side as both sets of players struggled to hold onto the ball.

Melbourne had dominated the first term in the majority of the stats but their kicking efficiency was letting them down. They desperately needed a goal to settle their nerves.

That breakthrough came when Alyssa Bannan initially had the chance to collect the ball inside 50. There were no Lions blocking her path but Bannan was unable to gather up the ball before being tackled. After the ensuing stoppage, the forward finally found enough space to drill one through the pack and into the open goal.

It didn’t take long for the Lions to respond. Taylor Smith dropped a mark inside 50 but was able to recover, gather up the ground ball, snapping a kick towards goal. With five seconds to go, Eliza McNamara was awarded a free kick 25m from goal. McNamara went back to take the kick after the siren but just missed to the far side where her shot scrapped the post.

After the break, the Lions looked the most likely to score first. Their effort was rewarded when Dakota Davidson got a kick away that sailed through the uprights from 35m out. Brisbane continued the pressure after the bounce but Melbourne was able to break clear and make their way up the field.

While Daisy Pearce was bringing the ball to ground then gathering it up, Alyssa Bannan was running on to a good position inside 50. Daisy got the kick to the waiting Bannan to collect and then outrun her opponents before kicking into an open goal.

The Dees then had the advantage after Lauren Pearce grabbed the ball out of the ruck. Turning towards goal, Pearce launched a kick, securing Melbourne’s third goal. Eliza McNamara then had another opportunity to go for goal and this time she opted to kick it along the ground and through the Lions’ defence, incredibly finding a gap and watching the ball dribble across the line.

Brisbane continued to chase a late goal but the Dees managed to hang on to their eleven point margin.

Melbourne had the perfect start to the last quarter when Alyssa Bannan again used her speed to chase the ball before picking it up and strolling into the waiting goal. Bannan had three under her belt and the Dees had a seventeen point lead.

The reigning premiers wouldn’t go down without a fight and for the next five minutes the Lions continually made inroads to their forward 50. They couldn’t manage a breakthrough though until Shannon Campbell was able to crumb the ball and snap a kick from 30m out.

Now with only a ten point lead and six minutes remaining, Melbourne needed to play some smart footy to prevent Brisbane kicking another two goals. The Dees had opportunities to extend their lead but the Lions defended well before initiating an offensive of their own but without much success until the last forty five seconds. Greta Bodey (who else?) kicked a goal from a set shot and clawed Melbourne’s lead back to four points.

The last thirty seconds was a frantic push forward by the Lions and equally frantic attempts by Melbourne to clear the ball. The Dees prevailed, securing their first win in a preliminary final.

There’s no doubt that Adelaide is the firm favourite. They are an extremely difficult team to score against and they have some very strong players. However, one thing we know about Melbourne is their ability to preform above expectations when they’re given the status of underdog.

Also, the team will want to do it for Daisy, arguably the one person who has done more than any other to promote and champion AFLW.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!

Round 10 – Melbourne V Carlton

Liam Chambers

After Round 9’s emphatic win in Perth, the Dees were back on home soil to face Carlton. The Blues season had started poorly with only one win from their first six outings. Now they were coming home strongly with three victories in a row and looking to make it four from their visit to Casey Fields. With no chance of playing finals, Carlton was ready to try a spot of giant slaying.

A win for Melbourne would secure a top two place on the ladder; lose and the Lions could leapfrog their rivals and take the coveted position. The Dees had everything to gain, Carlton had nothing to lose.

The pressure showed as Melbourne grappled to play their preferred game. The Blues were determined to close them down at every opportunity. It took a while but eventually Daisy Pearce was on the receiving end of an Alyssa Bannan kick which was marked directly in front of goal. Daisy’s conversion helped settle Demon tremors.

With a minute to go Pearce returned the favour when she slotted a kick inside 50 where Bannan jumped to take the mark. She kept her set shot low and it sailed through for Melbourne’s second.

At the start of the term two, the Blues continued pressure paid off when Nicola Stevens was able to scoop up the ground ball and snap it into the waiting goal.

Melbourne responded quickly when Alyssa Bannan was taken high, then awarded a 50m penalty. Her set shot restored the margin and delivered Bannan her second of the evening.

Later in the quarter, Nicola Stevens also got her second when several bounces favoured Carlton and the defender was able to get a kick off the deck and across the line. It was back to back goals when Georgia Gee had a set shot from a similar position to Alyssa Bannan’s kick in the previous quarter. Like Bannan the midfielder kept the kick low and it ended up between the posts, reducing the Dees’ lead to two points.

It was stretched back to nine points when the aforementioned Bannan took a mark directly in front and claimed her hat trick. Then like the proverbial see saw, the margin was cut back to two points again as Keely Sherar marked from 40m out and converted with an impressive kick.

Each side continued to apply extensive pressure on their opponents but neither team could make the breakthrough in the third term.

In the end it was Daisy Pearce who stepped up to break the drought deep into the quarter. Lily Mithen had a set shot from just inside 50and her kick was collected by Daisy in a diving mark. The skipper snuck it through and Melbourne went into the break with a handy eight point lead.

The fourth quarter turned out to be an exercise in nail biting tension for the army of Demon fans. The stress was only ratcheted up when Nicola Stevens was to get another kick off the deck five metres in front of goal and celebrated her own hat trick. Suddenly it was a one point game and the faithful watched the remainder of the match through the gaps in their fingers.

With thirty five seconds to go, every red and blue heart stopped beating truly when Darcy Vescio had a set shot to the left of goal. She missed the big target and the supporters around the ground exhaled en masse. Having dodged the late bullet, Melbourne was able to hold on to the slimmest of leads and finally claim victory when the siren sounded.

Carlton had put up one hell of of a fight but the Dees did what good sides do and found a way to win. There was an element of luck for the Blues but there was no denying their talent. They unnerved and unsettled Melbourne at various stages, especially in the final term but the girls will use the experience to improve their strengths.

They now get to enjoy a well deserved few weeks(!) off but there’ll be plenty happening behind the scenes. Our most likely opponent in the preliminary final is Brisbane, who get to play at home in their qualifier. However, the Pies have been impressive in recent weeks so who knows. Either way…

Go the mighty Dees!!!