Australian Football

Match Report

When Melbourne and Hawthorn met at the MCG earlier this year, the Demons put up a very strong showing before fading late in the game to fall short by 18 points. It represented their 13th consecutive loss, and Melbourne fans would have been forgiven for wondering if they would ever again triumph against the brown and gold. However, there were some positive signs from the Demons in that match to suggest that a win against the Hawks might not be too far away, and that day finally came on Saturday as Melbourne broke away in the last 15 minutes of an encounter that was tight for three and a half quarters to record a memorable 29-point win. 

The Demons signalled their intentions early with a lovely, running goal to Jayden Hunt inside the first two minutes. Isaac Smith responded with a goal to the Hawks but a great mark from Sam Weideman saw the debutant kick truly for his first AFL goal and put the Demons ahead by six points. Hawthorn again answered with a goal to Jonathon Ceglar and then began to look dangerous as it took the lead with Cyril Rioli kicking his first, but Melbourne did something the Hawks are renowned for - it saw the term out strongly with two majors to Jack Watts and another to Dean Kent to lead by 11 points at the first end-change. 

A snap from Christian Petracca within a minute of the second term starting saw the Demons extend their lead to 17 but the Hawks hit back with Jack Gunston running in and kicking his first goal not long after. Melbourne kept fighting, though, and a free kick awarded to Weideman saw him kick his second and the Demons were 15 points clear. The Hawks hit back strongly and dominated the next eight minutes. Inaccuracy cost the Hawks, however, as they added just 1.3 in that period and, when Angus Brayshaw kicked his first at the 18-minute mark, Melbourne was still two goals clear. A third major to Watts saw that margin increased to 17, but this time Hawthorn finished the term strongly, goals to Ceglar and Smith bringing the Hawks to within five points at the half. 

Hawthorn started the third quarter strongly, with majors to Gunston and Rioli giving it a lead of seven points but, after a couple of behinds to the Demons, Tomas Bugg hacked one out of mid-ear in the goal-square and Melbourne was back in front. Tim O'Brien goaled at the 18-minute mark to restore Hawthorn's lead but the Demons again finished the quarter strongly, and goals to Max Gawn and Aaron Vandenberg gave Melbourne a six-point buffer going into the final term. 

The first 15 minutes of the last quarter was an arm-wrestle, the two sides trading minor scores until a mark and goal to Rioli saw the Hawks take a one-point lead and the expectation of the top side then running away with the match was strong. But that was the be their last hurrah. A goal to Billy Stretch returned the lead to Melbourne and the Demons then took over the game, with Bugg, Cam Pedersen and Dom Tyson twice adding majors as Hawthorn, rather than Melbourne, fell away, giving the Demons a win for the ages. 

Max Gawn had another fine match for the Demons, collecting 41 hitouts and taking 11 marks. Rioli was Hawthorn's standout, with four goals and 12 tackles. 

The win keeps alive Melbourne's very slim finals hopes. The Demons would have to win all three of their matches against Port Adelaide, Carlton and Geelong, and hope that North Melbourne loses its three games. Hawthorn's place at the top of the ladder is now vulnerable, and a loss against North, West Coast or Collingwood in the final three matches could see the Hawks not only lose that place, but also tumble out of the top four, such as the even nature of the top bracket of the ladder. 

GOALS
Melbourne: Watts 3; Weideman, Bugg, Tyson 2; Petracca, Gawn, Hunt, Kent, Brayshaw, Vandenberg, Stretch, Pedersen
Hawthorn: Rioli 4; Gunston, Ceglar, Smith 2; O'Brien

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Melbourne: Jones, Gawn, Viney, Tyson, Watts, Vince, T. McDonald, Oliver
Hawthorn: Rioli, Smith, Hodge, Lewis, Mitchell

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
Melbourne: Viney, Gawn, Jones, Tyson, O McDonald
Hawthorn: Rioli, Hodge, Mitchell, Smith

INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
Hawthorn: Stratton (left shoulder)

UMPIRES: Farmer, Rosebury, Wallace

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Brad Johnson, Jonathan Brown, David King