AFL 2021 preliminary final: Melbourne Demons v Geelong Cats – live!

2nd quarter, 12 minutes remaining: It’s Melbourne’s night. You can just feel it. Menegola gets a great clearance with a scorching run, but Max Gawn manages to get into a scrap for the ball and kick it over the behind line while lying on the ground. Miers gets a turnover in the middle but thumps it straight into a Demons player. Then it’s Gawn down the other end, marking a high ball that isn’t paid because it was touched, but he knows, and he plays on, running away from goal, turning a ponderous arc, and lining up another goal on the run!

Melbourne 8.3 (51) to Geelong 3.1 (19)

2nd quarter, 14 minutes remaining: The pressure tap from Melbourne stays on full. A couple of Geelong attempts to get through the middle of the ground get shut down. The Demons get it back forward, Sparrow goes to ground and Holmes trips over him and falls into his back. Free kick for Sparrow… and he kicks truly from the pocket! Incredible night, they can do no wrong.

Melbourne 7.3 (45) to Geelong 3.0 (18)

2nd quarter, 16 minutes remaining: Now the Cats reply. A free kick for Gryan Miers as the ball comes in, he had his arm held. Converts from 30 out, right in front.

Melbourne 6.3 (39) to Geelong 3.0 (18)

2nd quarter, 17 minutes remaining: Demons hit back instantly! Dangerfield nearly surges out of the centre bounce but can’t control the loose ball. Melbourne have the chance to work Clayton Oliver loose in the centre. He sends the ball in. Geelong’s defensive intercept marking is their strength, and they haven’t taken one such mark yet tonight. Again the spoil spills to a Melbourne player, and Spargo snaps the running goal.

Melbourne 6.3 (39) to Geelong 2.0 (12)

2nd quarter, 17 minutes remaining: Starting the second quarter, and the Cats are being given no time to move. To breathe. To find a clean possession. Finally they get a lateral series of passes, the ball resting with Dangerfield in the centre, dishes to Selwood, then a pinpoint kick inside 50 finds Stanley on the lead. Such fast burst speed, the ruckman. He kicks truly from 30 out.

Melbourne 5.3 (33) to Geelong 2.0 (12)

A couple of missed shots late, and the Cats are spared. What an opening statement from the Dees! Jake Lever is sore, May is sore, but the rest of the team is flying like the wind.

1st quarter, 4 minutes remaining: Demons playing a blinder. Conceded the first goal, then kicked five in a row. Ground ball again inside 50, Blicavs hacks it out off the ground, but it comes straight back in onto the chest of Charlie Spargo. Set shot, goal. Steven May is back on the bench with a lot of strapping on his thigh.

Melbourne 5.1 (31) to Geelong 1.0 (6)

1st quarter, 5 minutes remaining: Another one for the Demons! Petracca again, at a contest inside 50 again, the ground level ball that ends up in his hands and he charges through traffic to kick one around the corner. Melbourne dominating with pressure around the ball early.

Melbourne 4.1 (25) to Geelong 1.0 (6)

1st quarter, 6 minutes remaining: Stephen May has come off with a hamstring injury. Huge for Demons fans, their fullback pulled up sore trying to contest with Hawkins for that mark a minute ago.

Melbourne 3.1 (19) to Geelong 1.0 (6)

1st quarter, 7 minutes remaining: Tom Hawkins has had an absolute shocker: ball slides off the boot as he shoots from 50, and sprays out on the full. Anyone in Perth tonight? Is it damp there? Looks it on the screen, but who knows.

Melbourne 3.1 (19) to Geelong 1.0 (6)

1st quarter, 10 minutes remaining: Three in a row for the Demons! The Cats looking flat at the minute. Brown marks again strongly 55 metres out. The ball in hits another pack and again it’s all about placement to rove it, Neal-Bullen this time with the flying snap.

Melbourne 3.1 (19) to Geelong 1.0 (6)

1st quarter, 11 minutes remaining: James Harmes scores from the stoppage up forward. Max Gawn punches a ball-up away from goal towards the arc, where Harmes is poised to swoop.

Melbourne 2.1 (13) to Geelong 1.0 (6)

1st quarter, 14 minutes remaining: Ben Brown strikes early, important for him. Marks it strongly after Petracca burns away from a stoppage and gets a clean entry. Converts the set shot.

Melbourne 1.1 (7) to Geelong 1.0 (6)

1st quarter, 17 minutes remaining: The Cats score the first goal of the night. Menegola roves a stoppage on the wing, handball finds Stanley who thumps a long high kick inside 50. It gets spoiled free but Jeremy Cameron in there to find the loose ball and dribble a left-footer home.

Melbourne 0.1 (1) to Geelong 1.0 (6)

A technology drop at just the wrong moment, apologies… we’re up and running now.

Full-back: Jack Henry, Lachie Henderson, Zach Tuohy

Half-back: Jake Kolodjashnij, Mark Blicavs, Tom Atkins

Centre: Mitch Duncan, Cameron Guthrie, Isaac Smith

Half-forward: Esava Ratugolea, Jeremy Cameron, Gary Rohan

Full-forward: Zach Guthrie, Tom Hawkins, Gryan Miers

Followers: Rhys Stanley, Joel Selwood, Patrick Dangerfield

Bench: Max Holmes, Jed Bews, Sam Menegola, Brad Close

Medical sub: Shaun Higgins

Full-back: Michael Hibberd, Steven May, Jake Lever

Half-back: Jake Bowey, Harrison Petty, Christian Salem

Centre: Angus Brayshaw, Christian Petracca, Ed Langdon

Half-forward: Kysaiah Pickett, Tom McDonald, James Harmes

Full-forward: Alex Neal-Bullen, Ben Brown, Bayley Fritsch

Followers: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver, Jack Viney

Bench: Luke Jackson, Charlie Spargo, Trent Rivers, Tom Sparrow

Medical sub: James Jordon