First Elimination Final
Friday, September 7, 7.50pm
Melbourne v Geelong Cats, MCG
First quarter: Melbourne 5.3 (33) to Geelong Cats 0.2 (2)
Melbourne couldn’t have asked for a better start.
After Gary Ablett registered the first score of the match – a behind at the three-minute mark – the Demons dominated the quarter.
Melbourne kicked all five goals, claiming a 31-point lead at quarter-time.
Tom McDonald started proceedings at the six-minute mark, before Max Gawn and James Harmes followed up.
And when Sam Weideman kicked two in a row – including one after the quarter-time siren – Melbourne had produced a stunning start in its first final since 2006.
Second quarter: Melbourne 5.9 (39) to Geelong Cats 2.4 (16)
Melbourne peppered the big sticks early in the second term, but didn’t capitalise fully, adding three behinds by the six-minute mark to lead by 34 points.
Geelong managed its first for the match at the eight-minute mark, courtesy of Tim Kelly, and when Tom Hawkins added his side’s second midway through the term, the margin was cut back to 22 points.
From that point, both sides wasted opportunities in front of goal – the Demons added another three behinds, as the Cats posted two.
It meant Melbourne kicked 0.6 for the term, as Geelong finished with 2.2, and at half-time, the red and blue held a 23-point advantage.
Sam Weideman and Christian Salem had the most touches by the long change with 14 disposals each. For the Cats, Patrick Dangerfield and Mitch Duncan had 13 each.
Third quarter: Melbourne 6.13 (49) to Geelong Cats 3.8 (26)
The Cats made it three in a row, when they opened the second half via Hawkins, who landed his second.
The margin was reduced to 18 points, but when Jake Melksham answered, with Melbourne’s first since Weideman’s second after the quarter-time siren, the Demons were up by 23 points.
But, again, inaccurate goalkicking reared its head.
The Cats added the next three behinds, before Melbourne added four in succession, and Geelong landed the last point before three quarter-time.
Entering the last stanza, Melbourne led by 23 points.
Final quarter: Melbourne 10.15 (75) d Geelong Cats 6.10 (46)
Melbourne got off to a perfect start in the final term, when co-captain Nathan Jones slotted through a beauty – just 50 seconds in.
The noise of the of 91,767 crowd was phenomenal, as the much-loved skipper put the Demons up by 29 points. Zach Tuohy kept the Cats in touch, when he landed his side’s fourth major early in the quarter. Almost 10 minutes passed without a score and when Mitch Hannan ran into goal – his first put Melbourne up by 28 points at the 14-minute mark – and victory seemed assured.
And when Weideman kicked his third – in his best AFL game – Melbourne was well and truly home. The Demons led by 35 points at the 22-minute mark, and although the Cats kicked the next two goals, it mattered little.
Alex Neal-Bullen kicked the last goal of the match at the 28-minute mark, as Melbourne won by 29 points and secured its first finals win in 12 years. It means the red and blue will play Hawthorn in the first semi-final at the MCG next Friday night.
Clayton Oliver finished with a game-high 29 disposals, while Angus Brayshaw and James Harmes had 26 each. Ablett had the most for the Cats with 27.
