Melbourne are celebrating their first AFLW premiership after upsetting the Brisbane Lions by 4 factors in a tense and low-scoring grand ultimate.
In entrance of a packed crowd of 7412 on the Lions’ new Michael Voss Oval, the Demons stored the hosts goalless after quarter-time to prevail 2.7 (19) to 2.3 (15).
In what is going to possible be a fairytale send-off for captain and girls’s soccer pioneer Daisy Pearce, the Demons thwarted quite a few makes an attempt from the Lions to reclaim the lead in a frantic final quarter.
However, Brisbane failed to attain within the ultimate time period as Melbourne’s defence stood tall and denied the Lions a second flag.
It was a candy redemption for the Demons after they misplaced final season’s grand ultimate to Adelaide in April.
“To do it here, to have to come up here to Brisbane (and play the grand final) and wear the disappointment of that, it lasted about a nanosecond amongst this group,” Pearce advised the Seven Network
“It was like we don’t care where we’re playing, we’re playing in a grand final and we’re going up there to win – and they invited the wrong team to their house-warming.”
However, Pearce wouldn’t be drawn on her future plans, however the expectation is she’s going to retire.
“I’ve felt uncomfortable the whole time, the narrative, it being about me, I feel like that’s a glorified thing that happens outside of these four walls,” Pearce mentioned.
Electric ahead Dakota Davidson bought the Lions off to the proper begin when she transformed a set shot eight minutes into the sport.
Cathay Svarc doubled the Lions’ rating simply minutes later, making no mistake with a shot from 30m out.
But the Demons managed the match after that, slowly working their approach again into the competition earlier than taking the lead six minutes into the third quarter.
Tayla Harris, who performed the inaugural AFLW season with the Lions, stepped up in her fourth grand ultimate look.
She kicked an important aim within the third quarter after marking within the Demons’ goal-square.
Eliza West and twin All-Australian Olivia Purcell had been great for the Demons, whereas Blaithin Mackin kicked Melbourne’s solely different aim.
“I think we just got the balance right with what we wanted to focus our attention on this season,” Demons coach Mick Stinear mentioned.
“We’ve always a special group of humans, talented footballers … but we’ve never been out of leverage it from a performance point of view and I just feel like this season we actually we got it right.”
Lions captain Breanna Koenen went down with a knee damage within the second quarter however returned to the sector after halftime to play-on via important ache.
Lions speedster Nat Grider evoked reminiscences of Collingwood’s Heath Shaw within the 2010 males’s grand ultimate when she produced a diving rundown sort out on Megan Fitzsimon to cease the Demons from scoring their first aim late within the opening time period.
In an impressive defensive show, Lions brickwall Shannon Campbell was sensible and single-handledly prevented Melbourne from scoring extra.
Campbell was awarded the best-on-ground medal, accumulating an equal game-high 19 possessions and grabbing eight marks.
The 26-year-old was feeling in poor health post-match and was unable to finish her media obligations.
Lions coach Craig Starcevich believed his staff was solely simply getting began and predicted huge issues to come back.
“We’re proud of them,” Lions coach Craig Starcevich mentioned.
“In seven seasons, we’ve played in four grand finals … the win-loss ledger is not great but the competitive showing up and having a crack is pretty impressive.”
