The longest active premiership drought in the AFL is over, as Melbourne ended 57 years of frustration with a 74-point win over the Western Bulldogs in a classic grand final at Perth Stadium.
The Demons did not have things all their own way, despite kicking out to an early 21-point lead — the Bulldogs turned things around to hit the front by half-time before Melbourne overwhelmed their opponents with 14 goals to three after the long break.
AFL senior coach of the year Simon Goodwin became the first man in charge of a Melbourne premiership side since the great Norm Smith in 1964.
In Melbourne’s first grand final since 2000, the Demons faced a Bulldogs side that had travelled nearly 10,000km in a gruelling finals campaign that took them to Launceston, Brisbane and Adelaide before ending up in Perth for the first-ever decider in Western Australia.
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There was a ferocious start to the game, with hard tackles flying in everywhere.
The Demons missed a couple of early chances, but eventually they came forward and Kysaiah Pickett found Christian Petracca, who whirled and kicked the opener from 50.
Three minutes later the Dees were through again, a brilliant move down the right wing and the ball was delivered long to Bayley Fritsch in the goalsquare, who marked and goaled.
Clayton Oliver was everywhere, earning 10 possessions inside three-quarters of a quarter, while Christian Salem was getting the ball off half-back.
The Bulldogs were under huge pressure, but they managed to get a goal through Roarke Smith midway through the term — it took a huge individual effort to do it, and it proved only a temporary blip in proceedings.
The Bulldogs were soon penned in their back 50 and a desperate kick was picked off by Luke Jackson, who fed Charlie Spargo to dribble through another. Another error from the Dogs soon followed and Fritsch had his second.
The Demons led by 21 points at the first change and the siren came none too soon for the sons of the West.
More to come.
Source: AFL NEWS ABC
